REVIEW: Diamond Dead (Continued...) @ Capital Fringe

Imagine my horror, attending this show, knowing it was musical and nature but entirely unsure what to expect. After showing the first installment of a MTV/VH1 style documentary showing a couple of extremely goth superfans bussed out to see their idols, The Diamond Dead, the band takes the stage. Dressed in shiny leather platform army boots, black trenchcoats, neon mesh leggings, death masks, and even an external fake spinal cord, the band announces that they are, in fact, the first, and finest, actually dead death metal band and proceed to sing a song about necrophilia. I immediately thought that I had gotten way over my head and started scanning the crowd hoping to find some indication that I wasn't completely out of place.

However, it immediately became clear that this was no serious act and was instead a Death Metal Band in the same vein of Spinaltap. The video clips were clearly meant to be mockumentary in nature, the songs were way over the top, and the performers were self-deprecating satirical. For example, the only "living" member of the band was not shy to admit her crush on the dead front man, who refuses to make a move on her due his personal stance against necrophilia.

The songs were catchy and well performed (hats off to the drummer), the video clips were funny and witty, and the story line (which included cameo appearances from Death, the dethroned Ms. California, and a certain recently resigned Alaskan governor) was engaging and surprising. The enthusiastic standing ovation lasted more than five minutes before the band came out to explain that they had to clean-up immediately and would not be able to play an encore because another act was coming in. Simply put, a terrific show, the best of what I've seen at the Fringe so far.