The Swedish hardcore legends hit the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver on April 7 with the firepower of a band playing their first show—not their last one in Canada. Last June, frontman Dennis Lyxzén suffered a heart attack early into what Refused has since dubbed a “modest farewell run,” but you’d never know it. He didn’t miss a beat, swinging his mic like a weapon and commanding every inch of the stage with trademark elegance and ferocity.

From the explosive opening of “Poetry Written in Gasoline” to the final chaos of “Worms of the Senses / Faculties of the Skull,” the band tore through their set with infectious energy and relentless precision. All four members were visibly buzzing, smiles wide as the crowd shouted back every lyric. They even worked in a cheeky tribute to Slayer, dropping a blast of “Raining Blood” seamlessly into “The Deadly Rhythm.”

Crowdsurfers poured forward all night, peaking in frenzy during the cathartic eruption of “New Noise” just before the encore. It was a set that felt both like a celebration and a gut-punch goodbye.

For me, as a live music photographer and massive Refused fan, the show marked a personal full-circle moment. Back in 2012, Refused played the Vogue for two nights during their first tour after a 14-year hiatus. I had just started shooting concerts, mostly at dive bars in Victoria, BC, and landed my first-ever Vancouver photo pass for that show. To be back in the same room 13 years later, photographing their final Canadian performance, was more than a thrill—it was a career milestone.

Refused will wrap up their farewell run with shows across Europe this summer and fall, culminating in a yet-to-be-announced finale in Sweden. If you get the chance to see them one last time, don’t hesitate. Legends like these don’t go quietly.