Manchester Orchestra at the Southside Ballroom in Dallas Texas, November 19, 2024. I had no idea it would be the last time I got to see Tim play live.

The news of the death of Manchester Orchestra’s drummer Tim Very last week hit me pretty hard. I first saw Manchester Orchestra play live with their original drummer Jeremiah Edmond when they opened for Brand New at the Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth in 2007. I’d never heard of them before and I was blown away by the songs from their first album (I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child), especially “Where Have You Been?”. I was a fan for life after that. I still wish I had some photos from that show.

Tim Very replaced Jeremiah as the band’s drummer a few years later, and while it took me a couple albums to fully appreciate the change (I really loved Jeremiah’s drumming in that band), Tim made incredible music with the band, and was a perfect fit for their music. Steady, heavy, and tasteful drumming depending on what the song needed. I loved played along to all their records and many of his parts frequently tripped me up, his ease of playing hiding the complexity and skill of what he was doing with his drums.

Here’s the official statement from the band on his death:

The entire Manchester Orchestra family has been devastated by the sudden passing of our brother, Timothy Very. The most beloved human being any of us were lucky enough to know in this life. We’ve all been dreading sharing this news as we are all still in absolute disbelief.

Tim was instantly likable and interacted with everyone he met with kindness and warmth. His laugh was infectious and he immediately made people feel invited and encouraged. His humor and energy were the very foundation that held together the entire MO universe. Strangers quickly became friends and friends became family.

He had an undeniable light that was only matched by his dedication and love for the craft that he was clearly put on earth to do. No words can ever do him justice. Please know, if you are someone who loved Tim, he loved you too.

The only thing that Tim loved more than creating music was being with his family. You’d be pressed to find a more joyful dad.

We love you Tim, thank you for loving us. You are a force of positivity that will be a constant presence in the rest of our days.

Tim was only 2 years older than me. Of course I’ve always been aware of my own mortality, but it’s made me reflective this week about how quickly time passes and how soon we’ll all be gone. It’s an easy thing to get sad about, but I think using the awareness for focus and gratitude is a better response.

There’s always going to be things to work on and fret about, but there’s also so much to be grateful for. I’ve been thinking about how lucky I’ve been so far to get to live out so many of my dreams and reach so many of the goals I set as a teenager and young adult. I’m feeling thankful for everything I’ve been a part of so far, and I’m thankful for all my friends who have been there with me.

While I hope we all get many more decades to go on adventures and enjoy life, I don’t want to wait to appreciate where I am and where we are right now.



Every once in awhile, stop to take a moment and ask yourself and your friends, “dude, how fucking cool is it that we get to do this?”. Because it really is.

Thanks for reading.

Aaron Dowd

Fort Worth, Texas

Saturday, February 21, 2026

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