by Scott Roos
Night Demon photo courtesy of Jarvis Leatherby
King Diamond photo by Greg Lawrence
It's truly remarkable to express this sentiment openly, but the iconic King Diamond is set to grace the stage at Saskatoon's TCU Place on Thursday, November 21st, as part of an extraordinary lineup that includes additional vocals from the ethereal Myrkur, as well as the powerhouse performances of Overkill and Night Demon. This eagerly anticipated show, forming a crucial stop on the "St. Lucifer's Hospital" tour, is poised to deliver an unforgettable experience for aficionados of classic metal. The profound impact of both King Diamond and Overkill on the heavy metal landscape ensures that this event will be a celebration of the genre's rich history and enduring influence.
With a career spanning decades, King Diamond's theatrical and haunting stage presence is legendary, captivating audiences with his distinctive vocal range and macabre storytelling. Sharing the spotlight, Overkill's relentless energy and raw power will undoubtedly ignite the crowd, showcasing why they are hailed as pioneers of thrash metal. Adding to the excitement, Night Demon will bring their dynamic and progressive sound reminiscent of Iron Maiden, infusing the evening with a burst of adrenaline and nostalgia. Their electrifying performance is sure to leave a lasting impression on attendees, further elevating the overall experience of this exceptional event.
“I think that people that have been into metal for a long time, they don't like just one specific style. So I think all these bands will complement each other and that's a good night of entertainment,” Night Demon bassist/vocalist Jarvis Leatherby told me in a recent telephone interview.
Having built a reputation as "road warriors" over the years, Night Demon have performed alongside numerous great bands. Despite this, Leatherby's enthusiasm is clearly evident during our phone call. Being able to open for King Diamond on a tour as cool as this one is undeniably a dream come true for him and his band. His admiration for King Diamond dates back to the Brats and Mercyful Fate era, although he also appreciates the solo work.
“The first three King Diamond records had a lot of rotation on my turntable growing up a lot,” Leatherby told me, “I really like Fatal portrait a lot. I like Conspiracy. I'm totally into his concept albums. I got really into the Puppet Master when it was released because that came with a DVD at the time and he kind of explains the story along with it. And I thought that was a cool thing…. The most recent Night Demon album (Outsider) was a full concept record, so I really love when bands can execute that.”
For this tour, Night Demon will have a 30-minute slot. Leatherby intends to minimize the banter and focus on delivering a powerful metal performance to the audience. Personally, as a devoted fan of Night Demon's heavy music, I anticipate a decent number of Leatherby's supporters to be present. Night Demon has been impressing me for almost ten years with their outstanding studio work. Given the ease of discovery that streaming services provide in this day and age, it is highly likely that many attendees at the Saskatoon show will be excited to witness Night Demon's exceptional metal set on top of the already hotly anticipated Overkill and, of course, King Diamond.
“We design our setlists to where songs segue into one another. It's always been that way, even on a headlining show. So our set is always more of A, I don't want to say a theatre performance,” Leatherby explained, “There are a couple theatrical things that happen, but it's not overwhelming like Alice Cooper or anything like that. But we treat it like it's a stage play in a way where…. we don't leave any negative space in our set where people can just … You'll never hear people talking in the audience, you know what I mean? There's always something happening.”
The first tour stop for “St. Lucifer’s Hospital” will be Oct. 10th in San Antonio, Texas. The entire run looks jam packed and all three acts should be in fine form once they roll into TCU Place on November 21. Tickets for the Saskatoon show, as you can imagine, are in high demand and can be purchased HERE.
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