Refused are fucking dead. No really.
The Swedish hardcore greats, whose 1998 album The Shape Of Punk To Come is regarded as one of the most influential punk records of the past 30 years, played their very last show yesterday, December 21, at Väven in their hometown of Umeå.
The band's 21-song-set at the third of their three farewell shows in Umeå was livestreamed worldwide. And if you're learning this for the first time, and are bummed at missing out, fear not, for it's still available to replay here.
The show's set-list was:
Circle Pit
The Shape Of Punk To Come
The Refused Party Program
Rather Be Dead
Malfire
Liberation Frequency
Summerholidays Vs. Punkroutine
The Deadly Rhythm
Re-Fused
I Wish
Hate Breeds Hate
Pretty Face
Life Support Addiction
Coup D’état
Refused Are Fucking Dead
Elektra
Worms Of The Senses/faculties Of The Skull
Encore:
Burn It
Everlasting“
Pump The Brakes
New Noise
Watch the final performance of New Noise below.
Post-show, frontman Dennis Lyxzén posted: "The weekend is over and it’s been overwhelming to say the least. I need a couple of days to process everything and I will post more on the matter.
But for now: thanks to everyone that came to the shows, or watch the live stream or just made all of this possible. I love you all.
Refused is dead. Long live Refused."
The band recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund a forthcoming career spanning documentary, Exit to End.
A synopsis for the film reads:
"Umeå, December 2025. Refused step off stage for the last time. In the very city where it all began, they bring their journey to a close. From a damp basement in the Umeå suburb of Teg to the world’s biggest festivals – Exit to End tells the story of a band that never compromised, and of a movement that set out to change both music and society.
Currently in production, the film follows Refused during their final world tour, weaving between past and present – from the hardcore scene of 1990s Umeå to today’s global stages. Through the story of the band, the film paints a broader portrait of Sweden: a country in transformation, where youth rebellion and political idealism collided with crisis and change.
1990s Umeå and Sweden form the historical heart of the film. Amidst economic recession, rising right-wing extremism and social unrest, a unique youth movement emerged in Umeå where hardcore, veganism and antifascism came together. In this small northern city, music and activism fused into a global force. The story of Refused is also the story of that moment – of a generation unwilling to give up on its belief in change.
The band’s international breakthrough came only after their split in 1998. Their landmark album The Shape of Punk to Come would go on to inspire artists worldwide – from Rage Against the Machine to Foo Fighters – and establish Refused as one of the most influential punk bands of all time.
At its core, Exit to End is also a story of friendship and conflict. The film centers on the complex and often stormy relationship between singer Dennis Lyxzén and drummer David Sandström – two creative forces whose tension and connection have shaped the soul of Refused.
“Exit to End is more than a music documentary," says director Balsam Hellström. "It’s a story about the cost of idealism, about friendship and reconciliation – and about a small town that became world-famous for something no one could have predicted.”
Built around Refused’s final tour in 2025, the film spans three decades of music, politics and friendship. Through intimate conversations, rare archive footage and explosive live performances, it captures both the power and fragility of a band that became a symbol for artistic integrity and resistance.
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