- Empire of the Sun w/Midnight Generation and Polo & Pan
- 08/18/2026 - BMO Harris Pavilion - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- ©Justin Nuoffer
The city of Milwaukee was busy and full of life despite the overcast skies. The Summerfest grounds were lively. The lakefront is gorgeous, with Lake Michigan’s waters crashing into the breakers next to the breakwater light. The old Pierhead Lighthouse at the mouth of the Kinnickinnic River, which runs next to the American Family Amphitheater, is an attraction for many. Since 1872, this corner of the area has been a staple of life and entertainment for the city of Milwaukee, even when the Summerfest grounds were a Nike missile site. The history is part of the charm. The evolution into something bigger is a statement of progress and the culture of Wisconsin.
With the Historic Third Ward undergoing a massive rejuvenation project over the last few years, it has become a destination that is bigger than just the Summerfest grounds and its many stages. The restaurants were busy, and the small stores were in their last few hours of operation for the day. The Catalano Square Beer Garden was festive.
The vibes were high, and Milwaukee was showing what it had to offer. However, that quickly became short-lived as a massive thunderstorm built and moved through the area just before Midnight Generation was set to play. Alarms rang, and notices of delays were announced frequently. Fans either moved to sturdy structures or stood in the pavilion. Regardless, the show would still go on.
After an hour and fifteen-minute delay, Midnight Generation took to the stage. The band from Chihuahua, Mexico, arrived with synthesizers, a drum kit, and various other instruments lining the front of the stage. The band wore matching white tracksuits and had a clear thirty-minute timeframe to work with. The crowd had a slow start. After being slammed with the weather, the band began to warm them up.
Midnight Generation is a mixture of sound that incorporates various styles, genres, and even cultures. They simply wanted people to move and feel the rhythm. Their almost jam band-style disco and funk selection of songs had the crowd slowly coming alive. Fernando Mares is the obvious focal point as he maneuvers through singing while laying down guitar riffs and tapping away on his keyboards.
Check out the Midnight Generation concert photo gallery here:
The band is built on looping layers of sound, and if you closed your eyes and took it in, you would easily hear it. Your body, though, would start moving involuntarily. You feel their art. Midnight Generation might have found something uniquely them, and it has paid off with the fanfare and demand around the world.
Next on the billing were French nationals Polo & Pan. The DJ duo had their setup on the front ledge of the stage. Behind them, a massive video screen ran animations in correlation to the tracks and beats they were producing. With very rare stops to say hello to the crowd, the bass beat often kept the song’s pace and rattled the concrete of the pavilion.
The outdoor venue was a full-fledged danceteria. Fans lit up with every buildup and every bass drop. This was house and electronica at its best, a far departure from the opener. Their ability to mesh sound had the BMO Harris Pavilion in the palm of their hands.
Check out the Polo & Pan concert photo gallery here:
Polo & Pan had the wet and anxious audience moving. Using a variation of sounds from different cultures, they mixed and morphed them into infectious beats. They even performed “Ani Kuni” early on, and the notable track was noticed by many. Hard to believe the duo were merely the direct supporting act.
With the massive video screen at the back of the stage lit up and running a countdown, Empire of the Sun slowly took to the stage. Then, the screen opened like sliding doors, and off we went on a journey. Opening with “Desire” and “Changes,” the stage production captured the eyes. The mixture of colors and lighting was stunning, and this was something that remained a constant. The massive riser along the back was often used as a prop of its own.
Luke Steele, the frontman and band founder, was on top of it for multiple moments. Whether it was to sit on a large throne, rip guitar solos between bonsai trees, or interact with the two dancers, it was its own entity. A small walkout to center stage led to another riser that stands a few feet above the main level of the stage. This is where Steele mainly performs. His mic stand is lined with guitar picks, and smoke rolls over the area, allowing the light to reflect from it.
The earliest part of the evening, with songs like “Half Mast,” “Cherry Blossoms,” “We Are The People,” and “Television,” was a wonderful lineup that grabbed hold of the body and guided it into motion. The fans lining the front of the security barricade danced and jumped around with their hands in the air. A lot of folks in the crowd came with a kabuto on their head.
Traditional Japanese artistry is the basis for the band’s entire visualizations. Using various kabuto, kimono, and characters of the culture, each section of Empire of the Sun‘s set had a changing of these items. With the atmosphere so electric and lively, the next array of tracks, like “Television,” “Awakening,” and “High and Low,” seemed to fly by as the stunning amount of visuals grasped tightly onto your eyes. It was a lot to take in but wasn’t over the top.
The band surrounding Steele was set up along the front of the stage in front of inflatables. With drums off to the left, the bassist/guitarist in the middle, and the synthesizers off to the far right, the three performers were covered in off-white cloaks with multicolored eye black under their eyes. The neon coloring radiated from them. The effect was fun and vibrant, which was perfect for a run of songs that put the body into a groove. Starting with “Music on the Radio” and moving into “Revolve,” Empire of the Sun had the entire venue on their feet and moving. With hands waving and hair flipping, the vibe took over and let people live in the moment.
“Two Vines” turned the space dark as the background turned the backing screen into an overgrown forest with images embedded. The music may have brought you out to the show, but the visuals and choreography are what made the evening amazing. Whether it was a tiger roaming a glass box, the overgrown jungle, or a massive kabuto, the backing screen was its own entity.
The final run of songs was a fantastic mix of hits and heart-pounding tracks that probably should’ve been. Steele took the time to speak to the crowd, addressing why this moment was so important and how togetherness gets people through the worst. You never know what the person next to you is going through, and you have to be mindful of that. He also mentioned letting your God in and guiding you. He then asked the crowd to raise their hands and yell to the sky as the intro to “Celebrate” slowly built up and exploded into the dance track.
The stands and general admission floor were once again a sea of movement, but nothing set it off like hearing and witnessing “Walking on a Dream,” the smash single from their self-titled and first full-length release. The anticipation of the audience was something of wonder. It is almost impossible not to know the song, and to take it in person is another experience altogether. That feeling of unity as people danced through the night was welcomed after an ominous start to the event, but the joy and affection growing as Empire of the Sun closed their evening out with “Tiger By My Side” and “Alive” made it hard to not want more of that inner warmth.
Check out the Empire of the Sun concert photo gallery here:
Steele cultivated an almost rockstar aura around him at the end with a massive solo that led to him smashing his guitar on stage and walking away with it draped over his shoulder. The guitar had “Milwaukee” written on it as it swayed back and forth. The entire program ended as it started, but this time, doors slid closed on the massive video screen, and an automated voice thanked everyone for coming.
The level of showmanship was overwhelming. The set designs were well organized and prepared for the exact second they needed to be run. The two dancers, whose part was just as important to the design, were in lockstep with one another. Costumes galore only added to the exquisite musicianship pouring out of the band’s bodies. It was a visceral experience, and it may be cliché, but we truly were walking on a dream.
Catch Empire of the Sun on the Road…
