Before the Comeback: The Last Time Murderdolls Played Live
Now that we all know Murderdolls are returning to the stage next year, after a long hiatus, it is the perfect time to take a look back at the band’s history and remind ourselves when this horror punk rock outfit last performed live.
But first, just a few quick facts for anyone who might have stumbled upon this article and is not yet familiar with the whole situation:
- Murderdolls are scheduled to perform at Graspop and Download festivals next year. For now, these are the confirmed appearances, although more shows are likely to follow.
- The lineup will feature Wednesday 13 (naturally), alongside original members Acey Slade and Eric Griffin. They will be joined by Mike Dupke on drums and bassist Jack Tenkersley, both members of Wednesday 13’s solo band.
- These performances will also serve as a tribute to the band’s late members, Ben “The Ghoul” Graves and Joey Jordison.
- The reunion celebrates the 25th anniversary of the band’s debut album, Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls, originally released in 2002.
Now we come to the question of when and where Murderdolls last performed live. And this is actually the most interesting part, because the answer is twofold.
Strictly speaking, the last time Murderdolls performed under that name was on August 16, 2018, at Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood. However, this was a reunion show held in tribute to drummer Ben Graves, who passed away earlier that same year.
According to Setlist.fm, the band played an eight-song set that night, featuring Wednesday 13, Eric Griffin, Acey Slade, Alex Kane and Johnny Kelly, whom we also know as the drummer for Type O Negative and Quiet Riot.
The setlist (Setlist-FM)
- Love At First Fight
- Grave Robbing U.S.A.
- People Hate Me
- Welcome To The Strange
- 197666
- White Wedding (Billy Idol cover)
- Dead In Hollywood
- I Love To Say Fuck
A little over seven years before that Lucky Strike appearance, however, Murderdolls played what could be considered their actual final show as a fully functioning band. It took place on April 24, 2011, at the legendary The Roxy on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles.
That concert marked the end of the Women and Children Last tour, but also the end of an era, a band and a musical partnership. Wednesday 13 would confirm two years later that the band was effectively no longer active and that he had completely lost contact with Joey Jordison.
The setlist that evening in Los Angeles was particularly intense. The band performed 21 songs with Wednesday 13, Joey Jordison and Roman Surman on guitars, Jack Tenkersley on bass and Racci Shay Hart on drums.
Interestingly, the band also celebrated Joey Jordison’s birthday on stage that night.
The setlist (Setlist-FM):
- Chapel of Blood
- Bored ’til Death
- Homicide Drive
- Slit My Wrist
- Twist My Sister (Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 cover)
- She Was a Teenage Zombie
- My Dark Place Alone
- Drug Me to Hell
- Summertime Suicide
- Blood Stained Valentine
- Die My Bride (Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 cover)
- Nowhere
- Pieces of You
- People Hate Me
- Bad Things (Wednesday 13 cover)
- Welcome to the Strange (Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 cover, dedicated to Paul Gray)
- 197666 (Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 cover)
- Motherfucker, I Don’t Care
- I Take Drugs
Encore:
- Happy Birthday to You (Mildred J. Hill & Patty Hill cover, sung for Joey Jordison; the band presented him with a birthday cake)
- Dead in Hollywood
Looking at the setlists from the band’s last two performances, it will be particularly interesting to see what Murderdolls choose to play at Graspop and Download after a nine-year or a sixteen-year hiatus, respectively.
