Australian music icons announce support act for Cardiff Castle show this summer

Amelia Jones

An Auckland-born alternative pop duo are set to join Australian electronic music icons when they bring their 2026 to Cardiff Castle this summer.

Empire of the Sun are set to deliver one of the standout shows of the season at TK Maxx presents Depot Live at Cardiff Castle on Tuesday June 23, and it is now announced they will be joined on the night by special guest Balu Brigada.

Formed by brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley, Balu Brigada have quickly emerged as one of alternative pop’s most exciting new acts, combining lush cinematic production with festival-ready hooks and dynamic live performances.

After years of independently honing their sound in New Zealand, the duo have amassed hundreds of millions of streams, sold out headline shows and earned widespread praise from the likes of Rolling Stone, People Magazine, i-D and OnesToWatch.

Their breakthrough single So Cold became the band’s first US Alternative radio Number 1, surpassing 34 million streams and earning a place on the FIFA 2025 Official Soundtrack. The track’s success also led to their late-night television debut on America’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Balu Brigada recently released their acclaimed debut album Portal – a bold, genre-blurring record that fuses ethereal psych-pop textures with heavier alternative influences. Written and produced entirely by the brothers across sessions in New Zealand, New York, Berlin and Los Angeles, the album marks their most ambitious and personal work to date.

Having already built a reputation as a formidable live act while touring internationally with Twenty One Pilots, Balu Brigada are now bringing their immersive sound to one of Wales’ most iconic venues this summer.

With a discography spanning four critically acclaimed studio albums, billions of streams and a catalogue of major remixes and reimaginings, Empire of the Sun have built a world around the project that is entirely their own. Since breaking through with multi-platinum debut Walking On A Dream, Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore have continued to push sonic boundaries while delivering era-defining tracks including We Are The People, Alive and High and Low.

Their highly anticipated 2024 album Ask That God marked the duo’s first album in eight years, blending existential themes with their signature nostalgia-tinged synth-pop sound. Featuring fan favourites Changes, Cherry Blossom and Music On The Radio, the album has already amassed more than 500 million global streams.

The tour

The 2026 Ask That God Tour marks a return to Europe and the UK for the multi-platinum duo, inviting audiences to experience their legendary live performances across more than 20 dates. Their recent global tour sold out headline dates across North America and Europe, showcasing the band’s most ambitious production to date and reinforcing their reputation as one of the world’s most visually distinctive live acts.

Empire Of The Sun’s headline show is part of a record summer line-up for TK Maxx presents Depot Live at Cardiff Castle featuring the likes of Biffy Clyro, Garbage & Skunk Anansie, Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Bastille, Sex Pistols, Hollywood Vampires and many more.

For more information and to secure tickets head to depotlive.co.uk