Live Review: The Last Dinner Party - Eventim Apollo, London 16/10/2024
The Last Dinner Party are the indie band of the moment. Taking home the BRITs Rising Star awards and dominating headlines for their talented breakout single Nothing Matters, they took the stage in Hammersmith Apollo amid a wave of manufactured controversy – this is a band on the rise, experiencing a breakout wave of success that hasn’t been felt by similar counterparts in ages. Selling out all their London dates, surely a tour at larger venues beckons next – they look destined for the 02 the next time they return; having torn up the festival circuit this year.
Much of their set remains unchanged from the hour-long festival gig: stick in a couple of covers, end by “we’re playing the single and then going home”, but at present there isn’t much material for the band to draw from these days, so would you expect a different set-list for a band who only has one album out? Especially when the set-list is as riotously entertaining as this, to the point where you can’t help but standup and dance? Lead singer Abigail Morris comes on stage to a young, queer female audience – the artist sings about female issues, sports a pride flag, and is the frontwoman for a group of female and non-binary musicians. Rarely has a band been more assured of their own audience from the very first single; let alone the first album.
Their sudden catapult to fame means that Morris hasn’t quite matched the charisma of more experienced artists able to make effortless small-talk with the crowd, but major props for her for doing so: she interacts with the audience asking for donations to foodbanks that they’ll match for every one across the tour – supporting local food banks in each city, and it's met with thunderous applause.
At the end of the set, one of the crowd holds up a flag saying they’re scared of ribbons – so Abigail half-jokingly promises that they’ll shoot Pokémon cards out of the floor next. It’s a testament to Morris’ ability as a frontwoman that she can lead the band through a set-list that by the nature of their rapid ascent to fame feels limited; a well-rehearsed mix of everything from Blondie to Sparks to Chris Isaak is all drawn from for influences; it was mentioned in The Sparks Brothers documentary from Edgar Wright that they’re your favourite artists’ favourite artist. It’s easy to see the appeal – the fusion of Sparks and Florence and the Machine propelled them to stardom.
The choices of music available means that the band has to go through even some of the weaker tracks on the album to fill the hour-long set-list; but it’s hard not to resist their charm. Starting strong with Caesar on a TV Screen as their second song, the band dips into their ethereal, almost otherworldly image -a moon hangs down from the ceiling above and a candlelight piano dominates the stage. It feels like the band unleashing their inner theatre kid, a bohemian cascade of excess and newfound confidence that the stage brings them – at their best, capable of tapping into what made ABBA so great. Every review compares them to a different more established band; their influences are everywhere: but it’s easy to see why.
Chris Isaak’s Wicked Games is one of the many covers that The Last Dinner Party trot out this is performed with similar confidence and the intimacy of Isaak’s original vocals. They’re a band that has made it their own; and almost had me dipping into the £50 price for the signed vinyl of their extended hits. Similarly, Aurora Nishevci, the keyboardist of the band, gets to take centre stage for her song: Gjuha, meaning language in Albanian – betraying her honesty about wanting to be more familiar with her mother’s tongue. It’s beautiful and demonstrates the chemistry that the band members have with each other, Lizzie Mayland on guitar and backup vocals, and Emily Roberts on lead guitar and Georgia Davies on bass. Morris the hypewoman, able to build confidence in her band mates and effortlessly promote the supporting acts more than her own merch.
I couldn’t make it for the first support act, which was a real shame, but regular band openers Lucia & The Best Boys made themselves a firm favourite new discovery. When You Dress Up feels like the highlight of a band that has accomplished the support tours for artists as varied as Biffy Clyro. They’re finally getting to come to London next year, in March, adding to an already packed gig month but worth the trip down to see – another breakout artist from Scotland adding to the ranks – I adored their single, Burning Castles, having not quite had the rapid rise to fame as The Last Dinner Party, but hopefully, they’re not far off.
Night One of their London residencies showcased the band at their best. Tickets sold out fast and it feels like they’re consistently a group that aren’t just ready to be the next big thing, they already are: on my third time seeing them they remain as fresh and exciting as the first time around. Second Best was a triumph – it’s easy to see why Brian May, who was present at this gig, heralded them as new British rock royalty. They’re more than just their single and if you’ve never seen them live – you’ll be a convert after this. My Lady of Mercy taps into overt religious themes, about going to Catholic school – and the band make the most of their well-choreographed stage moves that are honed by being one of the most active bands on the festival scene – their relentless touring has come at a cost, illness affecting dates, but has brought them together and increased their talent. Portrait of a Dead Girl allows for a warm sing-along; Morris encourages the crowd to “give me the strength” – and they more than deliver.
Sinner, The Feminine Age all continue to excel. A touch of female empowerment and classical themes dominate the script, personal and striking performances across the stage allow Morris to demonstrate the sheer power of a frontwoman on the rise to stardom, capturing how it feels to be a woman in the modern age. They’re a queer band able to appeal to a queer audience with ease – questioning traditional relationship structure with a bid of inclusivity and gender envy. But it’s all about, to the fans and the band – that track. That single. Their closing set that cascades after the unreleased Big Dog, an ode to classic rock to keep the older audience engaged, storming energy yet you can see why it was left off Prelude to Ecstasy – before dipping into Nothing Matters in full. And when it comes – it’s a triumph – “And I will fuck you / like nothing matters” comes with unmatched confidence that carries their lyrics across into being the song of the summer – Espresso who? BRAT summer may have come and gone as The Last Dinner Party hit London, but it’s time for an autumn of gothic ecstasy and abundance from one of rock’s freshest talents.
Words by Miles Milton-Jefferies
