KING DIAMOND

[Imajica]

So when did KD become so popular? I have been a fan from day one and have seen them on every single tour they have done in the US. They have always played smaller venues with smaller crowds in the past. It was always easy to get front and center in the first row. Saw them in Silver Springs, MD. last night. Not sure if it was officially a sell out but damn close if not. It holds 2,000. I had trouble squeezing just into the lobby last night. Finally was able to make it to about 20 rows deep. Great show as always. But I missed being front row.

So how did he become so popular over the last few years? Was it the fact he hasn't toured in about a decade or maybe him being out of commission for a couple of years due to his heart condition.

Anyway just curious to what others think.

 

[TribunalRecords]

Was at the show last night myself. maybe 4 deep from the barrier and packed in there tightly. haha.

I think it's combination of his near death/health scare, not touring the US for a long time and Metal Blade doing a full on blitz campaign with reissues, merch and the like.

The perfect storm.

I thought they were awesome, but I wish he dropped the Fate songs and did Abigail and The Invisible Guest instead. When you are selling out shows and packing houses it's not because of your former band when you have a back catalog of albums like KD does.

 

[dtfanatic]

Like Glenn said, Metallica and Kevin Smith.

But yeah, it's basically not touring for a very long time, and a whole new generation of fans discovering The King.

 

[labrekk]

I thought they were awesome, but I wish he dropped the Fate songs and did Abigail and The Invisible Guest instead. When you are selling out shows and packing houses it's not because of your former band when you have a back catalog of albums like KD does.

Always been more a Mercyful Fate fan than a King Diamond one, I'm glad he's doing 2 great MF songs on that tour.

 

[dcowboys311]

KD/MF getting namedropped every time Ghost was mentioned and the whole 'occult' metal thing in general.

 

[Keir]

Always been more a Mercyful Fate than a King Diamond one, I'm glad he's doing 2 great MF songs on that tour.

Same here, but no Abigail? Damn!

 

[Smc316]

I wouldn't be surprised if KD's saving that album's material for 2017, an in-entirety tour. I hope so, anyway.

I too wish he would put away the MF songs since Mercyful Fate is still a thing and will tour here eventually as well. Oh well.

 

[OrionSon]

Since a Mercyful Fate reunion is looking less and less likely, I have no issues with 1 or 2 songs being played at the shows.

 

[TribunalRecords]

Since a Mercyful Fate reunion is looking less and less likely, I have no issues with 1 or 2 songs being played at the shows.

I had heard it was VERY likely for touring. Maybe my sources were wrong.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I haven't seen either band live, so having MF songs doesn't bother me. That said, I do agree that the KD catalog is strong enough by itself.

 

[Smc316]

Yeah, i've heard nothing but "Mercyful Fate shows are coming eventually", but I could be wrong.

 

[MetalAges]

I think some of what helped also is that we got to experience his full stage show. I'm usually a hermit and that had a big part of getting me out of the house.

 

[Pelata]

and a whole new generation of fans discovering The King.

I know my 21-year old son LOVES the band these days...got into them last year.

 

[Justin G]

KD/MF getting namedropped every time Ghost was mentioned and the whole 'occult' metal thing in general.

Good point. Getting into Portrait helped convince me to give King Diamond another try.

 

[OrionSon]

I had heard it was VERY likely for touring. Maybe my sources were wrong.

Maybe I'm just cynical, but a lot of the talk just seems to be the usual "never say never, we're all talking about the possibility" kind of thing. Unless y'all have seen something I haven't

 

[1000 Faces]

Maybe I'm just cynical, but a lot of the talk just seems to be the usual "never say never, we're all talking about the possibility" kind of thing. Unless y'all have seen something I haven't

There's nothing concrete, but I suspect that the success of the current King Diamond tour and the health-scare-fueled realization that they can't wait forever to do this will lead to a Mercyful Fate tour sooner rather than later. Shermann and Denner are already working together, and whatever problems they might have had with King seem to have been resolved in recent years, what with the "Evil" re-recording in 2009 and the reunion at the Metallica shows in 2011.

 

[dcowboys311]

Uploaded just yesterday:

 

[KingsGene]

... Shermann and Denner are already working together, and whatever problems they might have had with King seem to have been resolved in recent years, what with the "Evil" re-recording in 2009 and the reunion at the Metallica shows in 2011.

Uploaded just yesterday:

Here's some more detail of the Denner/Sherman project:
DENNER/SHERMANN - MERCYFUL FATE GUITARISTS LAUNCH 30TH ANNIVERSARY VIDEO FOR DON'T BREAK THE OATH (PART 1)

 

[OrionSon]

Great guys, now I'm imagining a tour from Mercyful Fate playing Don't Break the Oath in full. Maybe ProgPower 2016?

 

[Smc316]

I feel like Mercyful Fate is WAY too big to just play one US show, tbh. Maybe they could do two shows, MDF headliner and PPUSA headliner - to appeal to both their very different fanbases

One can dream, right? haha

Also, just got back from seeing King Diamond tonight in Worcester. Fucking KILLER show.