July 2022

20 Starset’s performance stole the night. I was amazed at how well their show was put togeth- er both musically and visually. With the drop of the curtain, marking the beginning of their set, came an amazing display of lights and vis- uals from the screen behind. The band gives true meaning to the expression “rock show,” putting on a show for the audience. The band consists of your traditional metal band setup (singer, guitarist, bassist, and drummer) but also incor- porates a cellist, violinist, and keyboard, giving each song a unique sound, almost like Hans Zimmer’s sci-fi soundtracks mixed with Lorna Shores melodic metal. The band members them- selves dress as if they were from the future, start- ing out in an ensemble of post-apocalyptic style clothing; almost as if they came out of the movie “Dune” or “Star Wars.” In the middle of their set, they held a 5-minute intermission, where they had a wardrobe change and played a futuristic infomercial, keeping the fans engaged in the sci- ence-fiction world they threw us into. After the intermission, the guitarist, Brock Richards, and bassist, Ron Decant came out their song “Satel- lite” wearing space suits, which not only changed colors but also shot out smoke (simulating a jet- pack). During the show, the lead singer, Dustin Bates spoke to the crowd, and told the everyone that he believes that his band has the best fans in the business, even going on to say, “I have the empirical data to prove [it].” He continued say- ing that “We have metal heads, nerds, and dorks here.” In the world of metal, not many bands can say that. Their style is unique, using props and the images on the screen behind them to further tell their story and convince the audience that they are part of the futuristic world that band calls “The Starset Society.” These bands are still on tour here in the United States. If you get the chance to make it to one of their shows, I highly recommend it; it certainly will be a rock-show like no other. Click on any picture to enlarge Click here to view the full Starset gallery