Sometimes in life there are times where you have to take a step back, and stand in awe at how your life has led up to this moment. Last night housed one of those moments when I, along with a couple lucky music fans, were treated to a magical acoustic demonstration from STARSET. First, some backstory.
In 2017, my best friend Paij and I got together after not seeing each other for around 3-4 years due to her graduating from our high school. We spent maybe 10 hours in the basement of my Waukesha, Wisconsin home jamming out to music, while simultaneously introducing each other to bands we might not have heard of. At some point in the night, she proceeded to put on a song she had heard a few times titled “My Demons”, by a band neither of us were very familiar with. We cranked up the speakers probably waking the neighbors up, as it was now roughly 3AM the next day, and thus my love for STARSET was born.
Fast forward five and a half years to October 5th, 2022. STARSET is going to be in Green Bay at EPIC Event Center for an intimate acoustic demonstration. I rushed at the opportunity to attend as I had never had the chance to see STARSET before. At 3:30PM myself along with maybe 100-200 other fans gathered outside EPIC, waiting to be let in. You could feel the anticipation throughout the line, as everybody in attendance knew that this experience was going to be something truly special.
We enter the building around 4:00PM, and are greeted by an eerie blue and red-lit setup on the main floor of the venue. A cello, violin, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass guitar, keyboard, and drums are all set up in front of a STARSET backdrop with microphones scattered throughout. A line of thin blue tape surrounds the setup, acting as the barrier between the small crowd and where the musicians would soon stand. We all piled in and waited anxiously as STARSET tracks played over speakers. At around 4:15PM, an announcement was made, and STARSET took the stage.
Never had I seen anything so intimate and special from a band. Everyone who was there understood how special this was as well, maintaining a level of respect as they watched and sang along to some of STARSET’s biggest tracks. “Halo”, “Satellite”, “Carnivore”, “Unbecoming”, and of course “My Demons” were just SOME of the songs performed by the Ohio-based rockers that night. Hearing these massive songs with lots of music production stripped down to raw instruments and little effects was something to behold. It gives you a new appreciation for the musicianship of everybody in the group. Watching violinist Siobhán Cronin and cellist Zuzana Engererova feed off of each other throughout the night helped allow everyone in attendance feel the connection that these musicians have with one another. It was truly beautiful.
The whole event was surprisingly casual. In between songs, fans were given the opportunity to ask any question they desired. One fan asked Vocalist Dustin Bates what his favorite song to perform is. His response?
“The last one.”
What a comedian.
Having a BLAST with @starsetonline at @EPICGreenBay tonight! 🤘🔥 pic.twitter.com/97HWvWYcU5
— Razor Wisconsin (@RazorWisconsin) October 5, 2022
Fans were also given raffle tickets at the start of the show as another way of getting involved with the show. Throughout the night Bates would draw tickets out of a space helmet, and whoever held the other ticket would get to spin a wheel the band had offstage. The wheel included trivia, merch prizes, a photo with the band onstage, and more! One lucky woman who won a spin on the wheel was asked to finish the lyrics to one of their songs. As is the case with most on-the-spot moments, she froze and had to ask someone in the audience for help. When the answer was revealed, she walked away with a free hat and a ton of pride.
Upon the conclusion of the 10 song set, everybody in attendance lined up to receive a professional photo with the band in front of their back drop. I made sure to go to the back of the line, so everybody was able to get a picture with the band in the case of the event being cut short. God forbid I screw somebody out of a photo with STARSET by going ahead of them, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.
I waited anxiously at the back of the line, trying to think of what I would say when I got to the front of the line. You know what I came up with? “Hey guys!” Real original… Luckily the fact that I work here at Razor was a nice ice-breaker. I simply made sure to let them know how much the city of Green Bay, and Wisconsin as a whole, loves them. They assured me that they love this part of the country, and that they will be back for a full demonstration in the future.
How wonderful will that day be.
