Friday night at Ogden Theatre was packed wall to wall, that kind of crowd that shows up early, grabs a drink, and actually cares about the music. You could feel it in the air before a single note hit, the mix of nostalgia, excitement, and “we know this one’s gonna hurt in a good way.”

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AJJ kicked things off with their usual unhinged charm. Their set was loud, funny, and somehow deeply sad in that very AJJ way. They’ve been doing this long enough to know exactly how to keep a room moving, every song turned into a singalong, every joke landed, and by the end of their set, the floor was bouncing. There’s a certain catharsis in hearing hundreds of people scream “people are the biggest letdown in this town” and smiling through it.

They tore through staples like “Body Terror Song” and “Big Bird” with precision, songs that hit like old friends showing up with bad advice and open arms. The mix of chaos and sincerity was seamless, the kind of energy that makes you want to dance, laugh, and maybe cry a little, sometimes all in the same verse. By the time AJJ wrapped their set, Ogden felt wide awake, and ready for what was about to come.

Then, Murder By Death stepped into that amber light, and everything shifted. This is their farewell tour, and it felt like everyone knew it. From the first cello note to Adam Turla’s gravel soaked voice, the band played with a weight and warmth that filled every inch of the room. It wasn’t mournful, though. It was defiant. Grateful. The kind of show where every lyric feels personal, every chorus hits a little harder because you know it might be the last time.

They pulled from across their entire catalog with deep cuts tucked between the fan favorites, the setlist reading like a love letter to longtime listeners. Each song bled into the next with that signature blend of folk and gothic Americana that only they can pull off.

At one point, Turla told the crowd not to be sad in the goodbye, but to celebrate the time they had left- and that’s exactly what happened: hundreds of people shouting along, swaying, raising drinks, saying goodbye without saying it, and celebrating nearly three decades of memories together one more time.

Catch Murder by Death at one of the remaining dates on their farewell tour by grabbing tickets here.

Oct-22 – Bellingham, WA – Mount Baker Theatre ! (NEW SHOW ADDED)
Oct-23 — Seattle, WA — The Crocodile $
Oct-24 — Seattle, WA — The Crocodile ! (SOLD OUT)
Oct-25 — Portland, OR — Revolution Hall !
Oct-26 — Portland, OR — Revolution Hall $
Oct-28 — Berkeley, CA — UC Theatre !
Oct-29 — Los Angeles, CA — Belasco Theatre !
Oct-30 — Solana Beach, CA — Belly Up !
Oct-31 — Pioneertown, CA — Pappy & Harriet’s !

Nov-01 — Phoenix, AZ — Van Buren !
Nov-02 — Santa Fe, NM — Tumbleroot !
Nov-05 — Dallas, TX — The Kessler Theater !
Nov-06 — Austin, TX — Mohawk !
Nov-07 — Austin, TX — Mohawk !
Nov-08 — Houston, TX — Heights Theater !
Nov-10 — Tampa, FL — The Orpheum
Nov-11 — Orlando, FL — The Social #
Nov-13 — Charleston, SC — Music Farm
Nov-14 — Asheville, NC — Grey Eagle# (SOLD OUT)
Nov-15 — Louisville, KY — Old Forester’s Paristown Hall #%

* w/ Laura Jane Grace
^ w/ William Elliott Whitmore 
! w/ AJJ
$ w/ Shawn James
# w/ BJ Barham
% w/ J Roddy Walston