CONCERT REVIEW: Starset Give Biggest Dutch Demonstration To Date

After a successful co-headliner show of Sleeping With Sirens and DON BROCO in Melkweg, the Saturday brought yet another sold-out show to Melkweg’s biggest room: Starset. The band played one of the last shows before the pandemic hit back in 2020, in Melkweg as well, but that time, the band played a sold-out show in the ‘Oude Zaal’ with a capacity of around 700 people. This time, Starset sold out the ‘Max’, filled to the brim with 1500 ecstatic fans, who have waited patiently for the pandemic to be over so Starset could return for their biggest Dutch show to date.

Starset hold a special place in our hearts. We’ve seen the band every time they’ve come to The Netherlands, including the two shows for Breaking Benjamin they opened, and sat down with frontman Dustin Bates twice throughout the years. From the first show on, and hearing Bates‘ philosophy on the band, the shows and the future back in 2016 and 2017, it honestly did not come as a surprise to us to see the band blow up as they have in recent years.

Besides listeners, Starset’s liveshow has expanded every single time we have seen them. Needless to say, we were joyous to witness the band’s show yet again, in yet a bigger room than the last time and I sound like a broken record, but they were yet again better than last time.

With 4 albums under their belt so far, the setlist was very varied and felt like a celebration of the ‘hits’ throughout the years than a tour surrounding the last album. The band honestly brought it all. Unique costumes, a costume change halfway through the show, screens, a 7th band member to take care of all things electronic live, CO2 cannons and mesmerizing music. The use of multimedia elements, such as projections and lighting, added an immersive dimension to the performance, making it feel almost like a theatrical production. During the costume change, an ‘ad’ was shown for the “Everything Machine” that would let you “Experience Everything”: The BMI. A brain controlling device that was first introduced in the music video for Monster.

Besides from the hits we all come to expect from a Starset show, including My Demons, Monster, Carnivore and countless others, lesser known songs like DEVOLUTION and ICARUS truly came to life in a live setting. Overall, the show was fast-paced, high energy but there were also moments of intimacy and vulnerability, with the band slowing things down and allowing the audience to fully connect with the emotion of the music, for example the performance of Die For You and EARTHRISE.

Overall, the Starset concert was a truly unique and unforgettable experience that left me in awe of the band’s talent and creativity. The combination of powerful music, stunning visuals, and genuine passion for their craft made for an incredible evening that will hold us over until the next show, which will very most likely be bigger and better yet again.

Glenn van den Bosch

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