King Diamond Tops His Set at The Fox

King Diamond
The Fox Theatre, Oakland
November 27, 2024

Photos by Raymond Ahner

KING DIAMOND finally embarked on a long-awaited North American headlining tour early this Fall, and recently brought The Saint Lucifer’s Hospital 1920 Tour to a packed Fox Theater in Oakland on the eve of Thanksgiving. Although it was an all-seated affair, that didn’t stop the droves of Bay Area metal fans who paid their thanks by singing along and headbanging to every word.

Opening his set with “Arrival” off the Abigail album, the mighty King was in fine form as he belted out both the high and the lows. The song was given an extra layer of depth thanks to vocalist Myrkur, who has graced the set for the entire tour with her ethereal-like vocals. With the tag team guitar duo of longtime King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque and Mike Wead, the King blasted through a fourteen-song setlist, highlighted by “A Mansion in Darkness,” “The Invisible Guests,” and “Masquerade of Madness.”

With his trademark crossbones microphone holder in hand, Diamond covered every inch of the stage as he interacted with the band and his fans in the front row. By the time he wrapped up both his set and the evening, it was clear that the King was still on top of his game.

Direct support for Kind Diamond came from long time thrash metal stalwarts Overkill, who delivered a rocking act of their own, highlighted by “Scorched,” “Rotten to the Core,” and “Elimination.”

Opening the show was Night Demon, a three-piece traditional heavy metal yet NWOBHM band from Los Angeles, who many fans came into the venue early to see.

Here’s a slideshow with photos of all three bands by Raymond Ahner: