Starset came to The Paramount in Huntington, NY on 9/15/2024 to do “an evening with Starset” solo-style set for their Immersion: The Final Chapter tour. I admit to being a Starset first-timer. Before this show, I only knew one of their songs, the acoustic version of Starlight. But it is a beautiful song, so when I was asked to cover their performance, I happily accepted. I’d like to say I knew what I was in for, but boy, I did not. What unfolded was two hours of incredible visuals, an energetic stage show, amazing costumes, and a full set of songs that I now have to add to every one of my playlists. And if I’m being honest, the former orchestra nerd in me is always excited when a band has a cellist and a violinist.

Starset’s show is very clearly rooted in a love of sci-fi. That’s obvious right from the get go. There was also a distinct dystopian feel to it. As someone who at the time did not know the backstory and lore of the band, it had a similar vibe to me as the Borderlands video games, in the best way. That said, you don’t need to understand the backstory of the band in order to enjoy the show. I didn’t, and halfway through the show I posted on Facebook, “Starset has one of the best stage shows I’ve ever seen!” Thinking back on how many stage shows I have seen in my lifetime, that is saying something. That said, learning the lore is helpful. A simple summary can be found in their Wikipedia article, “In the backstory, Starset was formed as part of a public outreach initiative by the Starset Society, whose aims were to alert the public about the contents of ‘the Message’ the society obtained from a mysterious signal from space.” To explore this, Starset has also come out with novels, including The PROX Transmissions and A Brief History of the Future, both of which sound fascinating.

As it turns out, what I thought was going to be an interesting night of music has turned into a sci-fi rabbit hole full of music and books that I sense I will be falling down for quite some time. And honestly, I don’t think I could be happier.

Review & pix by I’m Music Magazine Photographer/Writer Amanda Packey