Starbenders

Starbenders play Patterns in Brighton and Hove on 13 June 2026. Formed in the Atlanta suburbs in 2013 around singer-guitarist Kimi Shelter, the band blends glam attitude with hard rock drive and power-pop hooks. The current lineup — Shelter, bassist Aaron Lecesne, guitarist Kriss Tokaji and drummer Qi Wei — sculpts sharp, clean guitars and direct melodies with a 70s tint, carried by tight dynamics and upfront choruses.

After a self-titled debut EP and Heavy Petting, Starbenders followed with the EPs JULIAN and Japanese Rooms before signing to Sumerian Records and taking their songs from US venues to international tours, sharing stages with Palaye Royale, Alice in Chains, Counterfeit and Danny Worsnop. Love Potions (2020) settled their balance of grit and pop instinct; Take Back the Night (2023) added tougher edges without losing the hooks. On stage, that mix shows in crisp riffs, a locked-in rhythm section and Shelter’s clear, cutting vocal, with renewed drive after drummer changes in 2024. The set moves across their catalogue, from early EP cuts to recent tracks, for a compact dose of their glam-inflected rock at Patterns.