Refused’s last official press release spelled it all out in inscrutable terms—they’re finally calling it quits—the band’s revolutionary mission becoming inexorably and undesirably conflated with the entertainment.
But they’re not going out without a proper send-off, hitting the road with the mighty Quicksand for one last spin around the globe. The tour, aptly named “Refused Are F**king Dead (and This Time They Really Mean It)” in a not-so-subtle nod to the 2006 documentary chronicling what at the time was to be the band’s last year in existence, hit the historic Warfield for a final jaunt in San Francisco.
Slaughterhouse, one of Los Angeles’ up and coming hardcore bands kicked things off with a 30 minute set that included a generous helping of material from their brand new EP which features the latest addition to the band, vocalist Meriel O’Connell. Loud, brash, energetic, and just plain entertaining, Slaughterhouse is simply impossible to ignore and should be on everyone’s must-see list. They even had the Refused guys rapt attention from side stage.
Post-hardcore three-piece Quicksand has been playing direct support for Refused on the North American run and provided a perfect complement to the chaos that would later ensue. A generous 50-minute set ensured that their fans were sated. It may have been Refused’s tour but clearly there were a ton of folks who had shown up for the coveted Quicksand appearance.