King Diamond Concert Review: Tower Theater, Upper Darby PA 11-10-19
King Diamond performed at Upper Darby’s historic Tower Theater in support of his upcoming album, The Institute. Touring to promote an unfinished album is a perplexing undertaking. Presumably, this decision was made in preparation for a Mercyful Fate reunion. In the absence of new music, King Diamond focused on vintage tracks from his peerless back catalogue.
As the lights dimmed, “St. Lucifer’s Hospital” cast a macabre atmosphere over the packed theatre. The taped intro was creepy and left us curious about the latest twisted vision from King Diamond.
“St. Lucifer’s Hospital” succeeded in creating anticipation for The Institute. As a set opener, it was jarring. At the tape’s conclusion, the band opened with “The Candle,” WITHOUT the recorded intro that imparts sacred words from “The Book of Jonah.” The missing organ is an essential component of “The Candle” to Fatal Portrait fans. Swapping out the classic intro for “St. Lucifer’s Hospital” was borderline blasphemy and amounted to an uneven start to an otherwise balanced concert.
“St. Lucifer’s Hospital” may have clashed with “The Candle,” but it set the tone for a stage set built around a 1920’s mental hospital. The tour theme inspired King to dust off the rarely played “Behind These Walls.” For die-hard fans, hearing this classic track from The Eye was worth the price of admission.
“Funeral” announced an airing of classic Abigail songs. “Arrival” and “A Mansion in Darkness” were played back to back, while the timeless “Black Horsemen” was saved as the final song of the evening.
Although the concert amounted to a celebration of vintage King Diamond, this tour is technically about a “new” album. Two days before the Tower Theater show, the band unleashed “Masquerade of Madness” as an internet only release.
King Diamond crafted a concert segment based on the single’s theme. “Masquerade of Madness” references “voodoo dolls,” allowing for the inclusion of the 90’s track “Voodoo.” Actress Jodi Cachia writhed and danced to the frantic voodoo drums in a supernatural frenzy. Sonically and visually, “Voodoo” reminded us that King Diamond’s post 80’s discography is essential listening.
“Voodoo” remained the only 90’s track in the setlist. Given the sanitarium theme, it’s curious that “Black Hill Sanitarium” wasn’t included. Any artist with a steep discography faces inherent setlist limitations. Ultimately, focusing on 80’s material satisfied a crowd of old-school headbangers.
The word “masquerade” conjures images of costumed revelers. “Halloween” was the natural antecedent to “Masquerade of Madness.” Beyond being a crowd favorite, the track created a sense of continuity with the new song. Actress Jodi Cachia once again enhanced the visual presentation as she transformed into the masked lunatic child seen in the “Masquerade of Madness” artwork.
Once again, a pre-recorded track played over the PA system. “Out From the Asylum” led us into the twisted tale of Missy, Grandma, and THEM. A trilogy of “Welcome Home,” “The Invisible Guests,” and “Sleepless Nights” highlighted an evening of heavy metal perfection.
A truly deep cut closed out the main set. “The Lake” is the sort of track you never expect to hear live. It’s fitting that the b-side is finally getting it’s due. With “Burn” and “The Black Horsemen” as an encore, the set ended with a celebration of King Diamond’s classic era.
