The Last Dinner Party Gig Review - 2 nights at EartH Hackney 

October 31, 2023 Kirsten Moreton

October 31 | Written By Emily Whitchurch

The Last Dinner Party is a feast for the senses. Headlining two sold-out shows on October 17th and 18th at EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney), the quintet, joined by drummer Rebekah Rayner, have burst forth onto the live music scene with extravagance and fervour. With just three singles officially released, support slots for the likes of Florence + the Machine and The Rolling Stones have established a diverse fanbase hungry for more.

The audience was launched straight into The Last Dinner Party’s theatrical realm before they even appeared - formal invitations to the band’s upcoming Camden Roundhouse show were passed out in the queue, and haunting orchestral music anticipated their arrival to the stage.

The atmospheric “Burn Alive” was a perfect opening, with lyrics describing “candle wax melting in my veins” capturing their dramatic Gothic influences. The setlist was bursting with soft choral harmonies, bewitching instrumentals and genre-defying sounds, incorporating baroque pop and glam rock elements. It was cathartic and exciting yet soothing and spellbinding, with the band’s commitment to exploring a variety of sounds aligning with their maximalist aesthetic.

Consistent across all their songs, however, is an unashamed authenticity and rawness. Beneath the decadent drama, or perhaps alongside it, The Last Dinner Party is not afraid to be vulnerable. "On Your Side” serves as a perfect example of this, with a tender, heartfelt chorus: “I will hold your hands to stop them from shaking, if it takes all night I will be on your side”. On their second night at EartH, “On Your Side” melted into the iconic Pixies track “Where Is My Mind?”, leaving the crowd awestruck.

The angelic harmonies of “Beautiful Boy” added further range to The Last Dinner Party’s expansive menu, creating a sublime soundscape as the room fell silent.

Vocalist and keyboardist Aurora Nischevi led “Gjuha”, a plaintive track about her Albanian heritage, accompanied by a mandolin and dreamy harmonies. Seamlessly, “Gjuha” flowed into “Sinner”, the band’s anthemic second release. Exploring the boundaries between lust and love, present and past, “Sinner” was ferociously embraced by lively crowds on both nights.

Their stage presence is phenomenal - lead singer Abigail Morris is a joyful hurricane, flinging herself across every inch of the stage in a frenzy of pirouettes, while guitarist Lizzie Mayland and bassist Georgia Davies playfully mirror each other’s movements.

New track “Second Best” began as a delicate school choir showcase before collapsing into intricate riffs and an unwavering drum beat as Morris laid down, sacrificing herself to the voracious crowd. Equally engaging was the ensuing “Portrait of a Dead Girl”, with the audience chanting “give me the strength” back at Morris, our gleeful conductor.

Night 2 at EartH was also graced with the second live performance of raucous “Big Dog”, as well as “Mirror”, where guitarist (and flutist and mandolinist) Emily Roberts delivers a

dazzling guitar solo. “I’m just a mirror, I don’t exist without your gaze”, Morris croons, confronting ideas of the male gaze with haunting candour.

The Last Dinner Party’s latest release, “My Lady of Mercy”, was certainly a highlight, with Morris pouring every last drop of anguish and passion into her performance. An ode to the sapphic shadows of Catholic school, “My Lady of Mercy” was a perfect opportunity for Morris to hurl herself at the barrier, screaming into fans’ faces as the song erupted into a volatile frenzy.

Drenched in funk, the penultimate song “Godzilla” is further testament to the band’s range. “Nothing Matters” - their debut single and most popular track - proved a triumphant ending to both nights, with Roberts’ ecstatic guitar solo garnering huge cheers from the crowd. Each night was a joyous bacchanal, and the glowing pride on the band’s faces was more than enough to dispel baseless “industry plant” rumours- The Last Dinner Party is far from manufactured. Seeing them in Hackney’s intimate EartH venue was an honour, with a sold-out US tour and Roundhouse headline date next year forecasting soaring success for the group.