A ten-minute walk from the hubbub of Kings Cross / St Pancras International station sits St Pancras Old Church. According to Wikipedia, the site dates to AD 314, although there is unsurprisingly limited evidence to support that claim. Regardless, it is a welcome sanctuary and the perfect setting for the second night of two sold-out unplugged shows from Empyre.
Empyre – Harry Pane
St Pancras Old Church, London – 21 February 2025
Words And Photography: Paul Hutchings
If you are new to the Northampton-based band Empyre, then the only thing I can say is, where have you been? Over the past six years, they have smouldered like a restless volcano, not ready to erupt but giving regular notice that you ignore them at your peril.
2022’s signing to Kscope was enough of a clue that this band is going places, and their clever use of social media ensures that the band are never far from the attention.
When the first unplugged show on the Friday night was announced, it sold out in under two weeks. A second night was added, and that, too, sold out. It is to the benefit of those who purchased the original show tickets that we get a band who have already played one night and are, therefore, more in the groove with their set and the surroundings.
St Pancras Old Church is a setting that is ideally suited for this band. Their ambient, introspective rock ricochets around the church walls, enveloping the venue with their own unique brand of arena rock. Yes, this is the sound that Empyre bring, and tonight, stripped back and raw, it is still breathtaking from start to finish. 
2023’s Relentless is one of my favourite albums of that year and still a regular on the playlist, and it provides the bulk of the setlist. It is an album that contains many anthems, and such is the quality of the delivery that many in the packed audience are unsure whether to sing along or sit back and absorb this unique performance.
If you have seen Empyre or even read about them, you will know that they have developed their own “killing the vibe” brand. Tonight, it is almost forgotten amongst the audience, who slip into appreciation mode by applauding wildly rather than the usual booing and catcalling.
Thankfully, it starts off with just such derogation, as guitarist and keyboard player Did Coles gets his tone completely wrong. Cue a second start, howls of laughter and smirks from his bandmates. “Everyone deserves a second chance,” he reflects later in the show.
The band’s self-deprecating humour runs all night. 
To list highlights of a show that is perfect in every sense would be to suggest that any part of this spectacular evening was below par, and that would be just wrong. However, Waking Light, Hit And Run, the raucous New Republic and their now staple cover of David Guetta and Sia’s iconic Titanium all linger long in the memory.
What Empyre do so well is draw you into their music. I am not the best at song titles, but the emotion of their music means it does not matter, for you just get caught in the moment. The musicianship envelopes you as you listen, wrapping around like a melancholic comfort blanket.
How such misery can be so uplifting is a curiosity, but when you find your heart soaring through a song like My Bad, it can only be due to the delivery. In Henrik Steenholdt, Empyre possess a vocalist with one of the best voices in the rock world today. His power and control is phenomenal, driving with real power, yet subtle and delicate where needed. 
Alongside Steenholdt, bassist Grant Hockley is content to allow Coles and Steenholdt to play the comic duo. He is the most rockstar in image, his long hair contrasting with the cleaner cuts of his bandmates. He locks in with drummer Elliot Bale, who is slightly hidden behind the trio on stools in front of him.
Bale brings the necessary percussive element with panache and a typically understated style. The anchors of the band, Hockley and Bale provide the necessary foundations for Empyre.
It is a set that flies by. The first hour races by, and as the 90-minute mark approaches, Titanium and Stone see us arrive at the finale. There is only one option here, and it is a delicately delicious version of Only Way Out which brings the set to a close.
Every band possesses one epic in their arsenal, and whilst Empyre have more than one, this track resonates with everyone in the venue. Steenholdt and Coles take it as a duo, the emotional pull resounding off the old church’s walls before their bandmates join for the final minutes.
It is the end of an astonishing evening. A real ‘I was there’ moment and another small step in the journey of a band who are edging their way upwards.
One big break could see Empyre make that leap to the next level. They certainly deserve it. Until then, they hit the road in April/May for a short series of shows. Some are already sold out, but if you can get there, do it.
You will not regret it.
Harry Pane
On a night where it’s obviously all about the headliners, playing the warmup slot is something of a poisoned chalice. It is to Harry Pane’s credit that he keeps the audience engaged throughout his 30-minute set with several original acoustic numbers along with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Big Love.
Pane’s songs take inspiration from family and friends, with Fletcher Bay, dedicated to his late father, amongst them. His guitar work is fluid and dextrous. Flourishes of many styles flit in and out of his song structures.
Despite inevitable comparisons with Ed Sheeran, he holds the attention with his storytelling and between-song humour. Beautiful Life is tinged with real-life emotion, and overall, Harry Pane provides the ideal foil for his friends who follow him. 
