Empire of the Sun Plays the Hollywood Bowl

Empire of the Sun is bringing its feathered headdresses and technicolor stagecraft back to Los Angeles, and this time the venue is the one built into the hillside. The Australian duo headlines the Hollywood Bowl on October 8, 2026, touring behind the Ask That God: Afterlife run, with French dance-pop act Polo & Pan and Midnight Generation opening the night.

If you have never caught Empire of the Sun live, the short version is that it is less a concert than a costume-department fever dream set to synths. Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore built their name on tracks like "Walking on a Dream" and "Alive," and the touring show leans into that theatrical streak with elaborate visuals to match. Paired with Polo & Pan's breezy, French-touch grooves, the bill makes for one of the better LA concerts this fall, and a strong pick among things happening in Hollywood the week it lands.

What to expect

The Hollywood Bowl's natural amphitheater does most of the work here: tiered seating that wraps around a stage built for exactly this kind of visual spectacle, with the Cahuenga Pass hills as a backdrop once the sun goes down. Gates typically open a couple of hours before the listed set time, and many regulars treat the plaza areas as a picnic spot before the music starts, so plan to arrive early if you want to eat before the show rather than during it.

Expect a full production from Empire of the Sun's camp: elaborate costuming, a stage built for the band's maximalist visual identity, and a setlist that draws from across their catalog rather than just the singles. Polo & Pan's opening set brings a different, sun-soaked energy that should suit the venue's open-air feel well before the headliner's more theatrical turn.

When: Thursday, October 8, 2026, 7:30 PM Where: Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave, Hollywood Openers: Polo & Pan, Midnight Generation Tickets: Via Live Nation

Getting there

The Hollywood Bowl strongly encourages taking the Bowl shuttle or rideshare rather than driving, since on-site parking fills fast and exits back onto Highland Avenue can back up for a while after the last encore. If you are searching things to do in Los Angeles this weekend and want a night that doesn't require circling for parking, this is a good one to let someone else drive you to.

For concert tickets in Los Angeles this fall, this show is shaping up as one of the bigger draws on the Bowl's October calendar, and a good excuse to check out live music in Los Angeles the way the city does it best: outdoors, under the hills, with a full house singing along to "Walking on a Dream" by the encore.