Justin Nuoffer 
CONCERT PHOTOS + REVIEW
STARSET
4/17/24 – Epic Event Center – Greenbay, WI
Photos + Review ©Justin Nuoffer/ Nuoffer Media
A chilly evening with heavy driving rain couldn’t keep the Starset fans away from the demonstration that landed in Green Bay, Wisconsin, a town that is building its own legacy for being a hidden rock music haven. With the legendary Lambeau Field, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers within a short walking distance, the standard of excellence is set high and the shadow looms large. The Starset faithful lined the venue entrance 2 hours before the doors opened. Many wear previous tour shirts and their exclusive jacket is only available at shows. The anticipation and chatter ran wild about the new stage setup. The YouTube sleuths were at work well before this appearance.
The Epic Event Center is a massive space that was occupied by a former big box store that was completely gutted and rebuilt to house the best possible experience a concertgoer could have. Once you pass through the pair of glass double doors a small will-call window and coat check is straight ahead. Off to the right, the black doors are open wide and lead you into a massive open room. The main bar runs the entire length of the back wall on the right-hand side. Straight ahead are stairs to the balcony area that provides a cozier and elevated view of the entire stage. To the left, the room opens into a massive general admission area and a stage that is cut into the wall. The room also provides a spectacular ADA viewing area right next to the merchandise stand.
Starset’s merchandise stand was filled to the brim with various t-shirts, hoodies, coats, posters, and even a custom guitar. Many items are available with the band previously signing them. The line wrapped around the room with the VIPs upfront taking advantage of one of their perks. The sales were booming.
A white curtain draped over the front of the stage as the crew put the finishing touches on the new stage setup. Warnings were given to the patrons on the front railing not to reach out. With that said a rush of air pushed out from the stage and the white curtain fell. Fog filled the air and the light was dark. A metal racking stood at the front of the stage with 8 evenly spaced fans spinning. A walkway stood behind it. Along the entire back of the stage, a massive video board ran. This board was split into two and ran down the middle of it vertically. On top of the lower portion, Adam Gilbert‘s drum kit and Cory Juba‘s keyboards were positioned with a microphone stand between them. On each side, the two ladies of Starset, Violinist Siobahn Richards and Celloist ZuZane Engererova, anchored the outer ends.
As the upper portion of the stage leads into the show opener “Unbecoming”, the small movie that is clipped for each song break begins. The short film is about a struggle to survive and break a dystopian future power struggle. The metal fan rack spun and illuminated separately from the backing video boards. It created its video and screen. From a distance, it would blend into the background. This was incredible and extremely unique. The first portion of the show blended songs from across their four full-length releases.
The band started off on level 10. Ripping through radio singles “Carnivore” and “Manifest” to a detonation of energy from the jam-packed floor. The full space suit fitted Dustin Bates on vocals moved around behind his fanned imagery peering at the legions of dedicated fans. The imagery was so on point and perfect then you got hit with the lyrics to match the performance’s timing. Everything was synced. During “Devolution” A giant head floated mid-stage with Bates standing in the center. The effect resonated.
Perhaps what was mostly missed through the stunning visuals was the impeccable fine-tuned playing of fellow band founders guitarist Brock Richards and bassist Ron DeChant. Each wore their suits with masks performing within flashes of light shooting across the room. They kept the focus on the product being prominently displayed. The setlist gave them opportunities to move towards the edges and engage the endearing crowd. “Infected” produced the most stage lighting in the evening and allowed every stage detail to be illuminated. The lyrics floated from South to North like it was Star Wars. As the show progressed the orchestral component of the band was front and center during “Telekinetic”. Frankly, this is the most underrated portion of the band itself. These two artists on violin and cello add the layering that makes the atmospheric feeling float across the room. At times it was almost sensory overload.
Moving toward the intermission break Starset unleashed “Monster” to the perceptive masses. The hoard of faithful followers unleashed on the floor. Bodies moved around in waves. There was no doubt that the song’s long-time impact is still meaningful in every way possible. The crowd noise elevated and the crowd sang along as loudly as possible. Hard to perceive as anything other than a monumental moment within the demonstration.
Post interlude and near the conclusion of the video story, Starset changed out of the new costumes and into more traditional ones. Vocalist Dustin Bates spent time on the short walkway walking back and forth talking to the crowd about whether they could pull off the new show and perform on the road without any new music to perform. With the show nearly sold out completely the answer was more than obvious. Before parting for the evening Dustin pointed out a set of fans that have been with them since the very first tour and then pointed to Dee from WJJO Radio in Madison who played their closing song “My Demons” first in Wisconsin. The pouring of love and support continued from the band with their hands clapping and pointing out certain fans.
That moment of joy built up the overall anticipation and eventual explosion that came during their first breakdown. As the demonstration closed for the evening a few notable things occurred. A final clip played wrapped up the journey that carried the band through 2 full-length albums. Once the screen went blank a notice of Spring 2025 popped up signaling a new adventure.
Walking out of Epic Center, one could not be more impressed with how this band continues to push the limits of technology and performance. With a two-hour and fifteen-minute run time, there was no way to not have left satisfied. Starset covered every release they have out there including seven songs from Divisions, 6 of which were released as singles. Starset has found its niche and has proven time and time again to be a must-see performance.
Check out the concert photo gallery from the Starset show below:
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