NYS Music 20​15

Tag: starset

  • Photo Review: Starset Delivers A Stellar Demonstration In Erie

    Unknown to many in attendance for the Breaking Benjamin and 10 Years show at the Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, PA on September 16th, the poster for the event made no mention of the band Starset, who would set the mood for the evening. This was merely because they were a later addition. As the crowd gathered, filling the general admission area of the floor in addition to both of the levels of seating on either side of the venue, they eagerly waited to get the show kicked off with 10 Years. As Starset took the stage, they were met by a large number of blank curious stares. Who is this band?

    starset erie

    The band is Starset, a Cinematic Rock Band out of Columbus, Ohio. Consisting of vocalist, Dustin Bates, Bassist Ron DeChant, Guitarist Brock Richards and Drummer Adam Gilbert. Why are they called Cinematic Rock? For starters, their album Transmissions, which is woven with orchestrated interludes, gives the album a soundtrack feel. It’s their on stage performance that is truly out of this world. Not only do they feature two giant LED screens on either side of the set, but also a giant touch screen used to deejay the electronics for the on stage performance. The LED screens play space related content that coincides with the music. If that wasn’t enough, the band members wear space suits, which have recently been fixed with jet packs and masks that feature a variety lights and colors.

    starset erieAs their performance progressed, so did the energy of the crowd. The blank stares that surrounded at the beginning of the night had transformed into enthusiastic shouts among those in the crowd who had began singing along. With each performance, Starset’s fan-base seems to expand. The band’s on stage energy and presence coupled with their symphonic sound and cinematic visualizations captivates and leaves you hungry for more.

    Starset is a band with a message. A message commissioned by an organization known as The Starset Society. What is that message? You can read more about by visiting their webpage. Starset’s debut album Transmissions was released in July of 2014 and landed at #49 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart. You can still catch Starset on tour at many announced locations, with additional locations still being added both on their website http://www.starsetonline.com/ by looking under “Demonstrations” or via their Facebook page.

    Starset Erie setlist:  First Light, Rise and Fall, Down with the Fallen, Halo, Telescope, Carnivore, The Future is Now, My Demons

  • Photo Gallery: Breaking Benjamin and Starset Take Big Flats By Storm

    Not even a torrential downpour, thunder, lightning, flash flood alerts or a tornado warning can keep Breaking Benjamin fans from a show and that’s just what the weather had in store on Tuesday, July 14 at The Budweiser Summer Stage at Tags, located in Big Flats, NY.

    Breaking Benjamin and Starset While personnel urged concert goers to remain in their vehicles while the remainder of the storm passed, the show went on. Some came prepared with umbrellas and rain coats, others braved the elements in street clothes, standing in a line that stretched from the venue admission, out the gates and all the way to the road. Fortunately as the venue opened it’s gates, the rain ceased just as the show was about to begin.

    Breaking Benjamin and Starset Opening for Breaking Benjamin was Starset, a cinematic rock band based out of Columbus, Ohio. Their set was unique and their performance was out of this world. Starset’s debut album’s Transmissions was released on July 8th of 2014 and it’s definitely worth checking out. Starset consists of Dustin Bates on lead vocals/keyboard, Ron DeChant on bass/backing vocals, Brock Richards on guitar/backing vocals and Adam Gilbert on drums. Starset’s set list for the evening is as follows: First Light, Rise and Fall, Down with the Fallen, Antigravity, Halo, Telescope, Dark on Me, Carnivore, It Has Begun, The Future Is Now and My Demons.

    Even with the weather conditions, the venue was packed full with Breaking Benjamin fans. The Wilkes-barre natives released their first album on June 23rd after a hiatus. Dark Before Dawn made it’s debut on the Billboard 200 chart at number 1 and has been widely embraced by fans with over 140,000 album units sold. Breaking Benjamin is back and going strong with many sold out venues along their 2015 tour. Taking on some new members in 2014, Breaking Benjamin’s current members are vocalist Benjamin Burnley, bassist Aaron Bruch, Keith Wallen on rhythm guitar, lead guitarist Jasen Rauch and drummer Shaun Foist. The set list for the evening consisted of some old favorites mixed with a few cover songs in addition to songs from their new album. Much love to Breaking Benjamin and Starset for a phenomenal show!

    Setlist: So Colt, Angels Fall, Follow, Break My Fall, Who Wants to Live Forever (Queen cover), Unknown Soldier, Sooner or Later, Blow Me Away, Failure, Breath, Ænima (Tool cover), Phase, Away,. Give Me a Sign, Shallow Bay, Imperial March/Schism/Smells Like Teen Spirit/Walk (A cover song medley) Polyamorous, Evil Angel, Until the End and I Will Not Bow

    Encore: Lights Out, Dance with the Devil, The Diary of Jane

    You can still catch Breaking Benjamin on their 2015 tour!

  • Starset Society to Hold Planetarium Demonstration in Long Island

    Starset Society of N.Y can get ready to see Starset in a whole new way.

    For the second time ever the band will hold a audio/visual event inside of a planetarium. Thursday June 25 at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport, fans can witness Starset’s space themed music in a unique way — with original visual content to match the bands tunes. Space is limited to see the cinematic rockers in this intimate setting. Tickets are $20.oo and can be purchased through Vanderbilt or at the door day of show.

    Starset - K-Rockathon 19
    Starset – K-Rockathon 19

    Connect with Starset:

    Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Spotify

  • Seven Day Music Marathon Day 3: Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless and Starset at The Palace

    Working into Day 3 of this Music Marathon, I found myself once again seeing music I was unfamiliar with and had little knowledge of beforehand so I had no expectations. The only thing that made tonight’s show different was the venue – The Palace Theatre, where I would see a vastly different crowd take in the great music Albany has to offer compared to the usual shows I attended, with a lineup of Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless And Starset.

    Halestorm The Pretty RecklessUnfortunately, I walked into this show with Nickelback on my mind, but only for the most hilarious reasons. Starset snapped me out of it with symphonic sounds brought about by lead singer/keyboardist Dustin Bates, who spoke to me later citing Hans Zimmer, Nine Inch Nails and Sigur Ros as influences on their sound. I was impressed, and reminded of Stabbing Westward amid the intensity of the show. The band wore light up masks which added depth to the pageantry, capped off by mentioning the “Starset Society”, a latter day KISS Army or nonpoint Nation. The concept of a band-driven community instead of a community-driven band intrigues me – its the opposite of what I’m used to, but if it keeps the fan base strong, go for it.

    The audience for the three bands was such a mix of rock fans, young and old, kids with parents and parents without kids. I knew nothing about these bands but couldn’t help but remark on the diversity of the crowd, the metal heads and rock stars lightly thrashing to the music throughout the night. It was a nice break from the usual for me and The Pretty Reckless were the stand out set of the night. With a “For Whom the Bell Tolls” intro followed by sounds of a woman moaning, this female fronted band was heavy, but not metal. Taylor Momsen has great stage presence and an incredible voice, while drummer Jamie Perkins looks like Mick Foley. They have a good ‘rock god’ motif down, and has an edge of Pantera influence to the music, especially on “Going to Hell.” Overall I found The Pretty Reckless to be like Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, but from the wrong side of the tracks, and by wrong I mean the hard rocking side. They were great.

    Halestorm, fronted by Lzzy Hale made this night into a rarity – two female-fronted rock bands, and I could only count four off the top of my head upon Halestorm taking the stage (Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Hole, L7). Encouraging fans to raise their devil horns high, I heard Whitesnake through the guitar work of Joe Hottinger and an altogether more polished sound than The Pretty Reckless.

    The set seemed to mellow about halfway through – the first seven or eight songs were straight fire, but the drum solo and all that followed were underwhelming. They could have thrown in a Def Leppard cover or something – the lack of covers this night surprised me greatly – but instead it was all originals. “Apocalyptic” was pretty solid, and the three encores were good and catchy, especially “Like a Reckoning”, but it was pushing on soft rock at that point. To cap the night, the band had the crowd serenade bassist Josh with “Happy Birthday” while toasting shots of Jagermeister. Halestorm is solid and has a rightful following, but I’m thinking that The Pretty Reckless could lap them in a few years time, with Starset showing strong potential if the fans can dig it.

    Next up for Seven Day Music Marathon: I head to Saratoga Springs for Dave Pedinotti and the Masters of Nostalgia at One Caroline Street.