Starset Demonstrate Their Rock Prowess With Gemini Syndrome in Los Angeles
And now for something decidedly different! In a music world where vocals, guitar, bass and drums are the norm with slight variances for production and energy in most stage shows, Starset are bringing a fresh approach to the stage and fans in the Los Angeles area were able to take part in the band's latest "demonstration" at the Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip Tuesday night (Jan. 31).
While vocals, guitar, bass and drums are part of the band's stage show, it's not exactly the norm. You'll find bespectacled, bow-tie and vest wearing singer Dustin Bates looking more like a studious scientist than a rock star. But don't let the look fool you, as Bates is a commanding presence onstage, getting up close and personal with fans. It's also not everyday that you find a frontman also utilizing a futuristic transparent screen onstage that serves as a centerpiece used to trigger certain sounds.
Guitar and bass? Yes, Brock Richards and Ron DeChant can bring the heavy, but they too have a different look, sporting space suits that light up as they rock and headbang. Even behind their space helmets, you can see both musicians fully engaged and expressive in their presentation. Meanwhile, drummer Adam Gilbert is also wearing one of the space suits, but he performs inside a transparent enclosure where at times you can view him but at other times the enclosure is used to project eye-catching visuals to accompany the songs. And Starset round out their live show lineup with a female violinist and male cellist sporting bomber jackets, often rocking out in time with the band throughout the show.
But while the visual is a big part of Starset's demonstrations, it's the music that has brought in most fans. And with a pair of well-received albums under their belt, Starset appear to be on the verge of a major breakthrough. The set started with the aptly titled "Into the Unknown" and "Back to the Earth" as keyboard notes danced against the backdrops of heavy synths and bass parts to set an atmospheric tone. From there, the band powered through the uplifting and familiar fan favorite "Halo" and the driving "Down With the Fallen," both from their Transmissions debut.
The band is currently promoting their Vessels sophomore set that was voted by Loudwire's readers as the January 2017 release of the month, and the show picked up with the presence of new songs "Antigravity" and "Ricochet" from that disc. The latter song allowed the strings of the supporting players to come more to the forefront, giving the audience something that not every rock band brings to the stage. The heaviness of "Ricochet" garnered one of the best responses of the night.
Other standouts from the set included the mid-section of the show with the haunting "Telescope," the atmospheric "Frequency" and the anthemic sing-along of "Satellite" really connecting with the crowd in successive order. The current hit single "Monster" also went over well and the band eschewed the traditional encore to remain onstage ending on the high notes of "The Future Is Now" and "My Demons." It's safe to say that after taking part in one of Starset's demonstrations, you will leave with a memorable experience that stands out from the traditional rock show.
Before Starset took the stage, Gemini Syndrome rocked the house with a heavy set that had the audience fully engaged. "Basement" was an early set favorite and by the time the band hit "Remember We Die" late, they had fans with arms raised to the sky and clapping before wrapping up with one of their biggest hits "Stardust."
See photos from Starset and Gemini Syndrome at The Roxy in Los Angeles in the gallery above.