July 2022

Across the world of metal, there are few bands that truly stand out like Starset. The Columbus, Ohio based metal band brings a unique style to the metal/rock scene, and their concerts are un- like any others out there, bringing science-fic- tion, rock music, and incredible special FX all together in one place. This is the second time Starset has come to Charleston, South Caroli- na in the last couple of years. The last time they played in “The Holy City” was during their Di- visions tour back in 2019. This time around they came to the Charleston Music Hall, only a few blocks away from where they played 3 years ago. Walking into the venue, you get a feeling as if you’re walking into an old theater. Upon entry, you’ll find the box office on the left side of the room, concessions to the right side, and a stair- case in the center, leading to the balcony seating and merchandise tables upstairs. Once you cross the threshold into the concert hall, you’ll find seats towards the back, and a large open pit in front of the stage, giving it a feeling of an inti- mate rock venue. Starting off the night was the Minneapolis, Min- nesota-based band, Divide the Fall. The band kicked off the night playing some of their hits to include “I Won’t Fade Away”, “Broken”, and their upcoming single, “Without You.” They closed out their set with “Fake Love,” getting the crowd to echo the lyrics “Fake Love…” and “Dreaming of…” after the lead singer sung it in the song. The band started their set about 30 minutes early, so the venue itself was only still half-full by the end of their set, but the energy they brought to the stage filled up the room and everyone was hyped and ready for Oni to hit the stage next. The Canadian band Oni took no time amping up the crowd. The progressive metal band kept everyone’s heads banging throughout their whole set. Their bassist, Chase Bryant and gui- tarist, Martin Andre made the stage their own, rocking out to the rhythm of the music and play- ing on every inch of the stage they could find. They kept a high-tempo energy throughout their whole set, playing songs like Secret”, “Alone”, and “War Ender”. You could even find some of the true metal-heads in the room along the railing, thrashing their long hair to the beat of the music. Click on any picture to enlarge Click here to view the full Oni gallery STARSET | RED | ONI Review and photos by Xavier Martin 16