[ATTENDED: November 17, 2021] Starset
My son got me into Starset and I enjoy going to see them live with him. Last time at the TLA we were kind of far back but this time we got pretty close. I actually wondered if we were too close since it’s fun to take in the whole spectacle of their show. But it’s hard to pass up the opportunity to get close to the stage.
Starset was formed in 2013 by Dustin Bates, who is also the band’s lead singer and songwriter. Bates has a Masters’ degree in electrical engineering. He has done research for the US Air Force and taught at the International Space University (whatever that is).
Using that educational background as a jumping off point, Bates has created this complex backstory. The story goes that Starset was formed as part of a public outreach initiative by The Starset Society. The Society had obtained a Message from a mysterious signal sent from space and wanted to alert the public to it.
And so every show is a “Demonstration” and there’s all kinds of codes and buzzwords that the band uses, which makes it indeed like a secret society.
I love that a Starset show is a performance. There’s video screens, lases, jets of smoke, and costumes! Starset also added a seventh member–a keyboardist, Cory Juba. Bates said how thrilled he was that he could now afford to bring a keyboardist to really flesh out the band (who was always meant to be a seven piece).
This tour was for their recently released album, HORIZONS. Interestingly, though, they only played four songs from the album. Even more interesting is how much they switched up the set list from the last time we saw them in 2019. The set length was the same, but they played five different older songs (in addition to the four new songs).
It was also interesting that their stage set up was essentially the same.
The Demonstration began with a video. A man in a cloth mask stood with his arm raised. Some of the musicians came out on stage. The drummer, Adam Gilbert, stood in front of the video with his arm up and the crowd was pretty excited.
The lights came up and the band were dressed like desert nomads. The back row now featured violinist Siobhán Cronin, cellist Mariko Muranaka Friend and Juba, all in desert garb as well.
When bassist Ron DeChant and guitarist Brock Richards were revealed, they had their faces covered by the desert wraps that covered their mouths (Startset were masking up before it was required).
Bates came out in full nomadic gar (he must be so hot) and his vocals sounded fantastic. The video screens were fully employed with lyrics and visuals. The new songs sounded great, and I was surprised that one of their bigger songs, “Carnivore” was played so early in the set. But it was like a welcome hug of the old and the new.
During the last tour there was a sort of story going on with the video screens–a kind of hjacking of technology (or something–the audience was not very helpful for me following the story). There was no such conceit this time. Rather, they just let the music tell the story.
But they did bust out the giant flags for “Trials.” I can’t imagine how strong you must be to be able to way a giant flag on a pole during a song and still play guitar.
They played “Point of No Return” a song that Bates said they hadn’t played in about six years.
Then there was an intermission. It was a kind of “commercial” about the three sensors in your brain that help you to see things better, more interestingly. I was a little surprised that it was the same intermission as last time only because they are so into technology, I thought they’d have a new one. But it is a fun way to count down 6 minutes while the band re-emerges.
In space suits.
The opened up the second half with a strings instrumental (the strings players are not in space suits). This segued into “It Has Begun” from their debut and then jumped to a new song “EARTHRISE.”
Starset has played various styles of music within their overall proggy/synth metal sound, but there’s some really heavy tracks on HORIZONS. “Devolution” has some really heavy guitars and some great sing alongs.
Before they played “Ricochet” they brought out snare drums for the guitarist and bassist and there was some great percussive thumping while the strings played Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
As the set neared the end they played “Die for You” one of my favorite older songs that they didn’t play last time, so that was pretty awesome. Especially since it was followed by “My Demons” another fantastic song that everyone could sing along to.
It’s such a great show, I’m looking forward to seeing them again in a year or two.
| 2021 | 2019 |
| THE BREACH Ô | A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE ‰ |
| WHERE THE SKIES END ‰ | MANIFEST ‰ |
| INFECTED Ô | Monster Δ |
| Carnivore ≅ | ECHO ‰ |
| Let It Die ≅ | WHERE THE SKIES END ‰ |
| TRIALS ‰ | It Has Begun ≅ |
| MANIFEST ‰ | TELEKINETIC ‰ |
| ECHO ‰ | Kashmir [Led Zeppelin cover] |
| Monster Δ | PERFECT MACHINE ‰ |
| Point of No Return ≅ | TRIALS ‰ |
| It Has Begun ≅ | Carnivore ≅ |
| EARTHRISE Ô | Thunderstruck [AC/DC cover played by the strings] |
| Satellite Δ | Bringing It Down Δ |
| DEVOLUTION Ô | Telescope ≅ |
| Ricochet Δ | OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE ‰ |
| Die for You Δ | Frequency Δ |
| My Demons ≅ | My Demons ≅ |
Ô – Horizons (2021)
‰ – Divisons (2019)
Δ – Vessels (2017)
≅ – Transmissions (2014)
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