Starset at Mid America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa on September 20, 2026.
Photos and Review by The Pit Magazine Contributor, Bob DeHart Photography
What a night! Maybe the biggest show I’ve covered all year! Starset hit the stage after opener Kami Kehoe, and before Chevelle and Breaking Benjamin. All four acts brought the volume and intensity! If you’ve never seen Starset, you are missing out. They are an all-out assault on your eyes and ears. Even though they weren’t the headliners on this night, from the crowd reaction and the stage production, you would have thought this was a full blown Starset show.
Although, I was told by several in the crowd that, while it was an awesome show and set played by Starset, it was nothing near what I would have seen had it been a headlining show for them. Which made me think, I need to catch one of those shows. This was my second time covering them as an opening act. Both were impressive, but this one was by far superior than the last. It’s been about 7-8 years since the last one and this was in a much bigger venue than the last.
It’s just an amazing spectacle to watch, as Starset is in various costumes, they look like they could be in a Star Wars movie. With the video and lighting among other special effects, they put a dynamic show. And I haven’t even mentioned the music yet. The music is amazing to! And it is pretty diverse in what they perform. How many rock bands do you know that have a violinist and a cellist? It definitely adds a different vibe to the music. And the fans eat it up.
Singing along word for word, they are entranced from the opening note. Lead vocalist, Dustin Bates, has a unique voice that fits the vibe perfectly. Starset have released a new single recently, Ann1h1lat10n. Which they played for one of the fist times on this night. It went over really well, the crowd loved it. It was a great show from start to end. It’s super hard not to be a fan of these guys. They are as strong as a touring act as you will see. It’s my recommendation you check them out soon, either on this tour as an opener or if you can, catch them on a headlining tour.
Photos by The Pit Magazine photographer, Bob DeHart Photography in York, Nebraska. ©2026.
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