A bounty of Biblical Proportions: The Last Dinner party
The Last Dinner Party return to Manchester for a sold out spectacular for their Second album ‘From The Pyre.’
I’d say we were like lambs to the slaughter, but I don’t think The Last Dinner Party would want to sully an audience so pure.
Come, let us walk by the shore.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing The Last Dinner Party in all their grace and glory, you’ve never listened to them or would say they’re ’not your thing’; even if you were a Martian dropped on earth mere moments ago, or a knight that’s time travelled and only previously heard chamber music… I’d say there’s something here for you.
There’s something frightfully all encompassing about seeing them live, and that’s coming from someone who’s not only had the pleasure of shooting them twice, but seeing them as a guest twice too. Without fluffing phrasing up too much here, they’re just truly musicians. And I’d argue if you call yourself a music lover, you can see that too. Even if feminist choir and multi-genre camp chaos isn’t your thing. Though, to that I’d say: I’m not sure I want you at The Final Supper.
From illustrious set design, to intricacies in costume and staging - the whole set in visuals and sonics felt like a conscious performance piece. With an impressive over-two hour running stage time, leading us from Prelude and into The Pyre, interweaving their classic singles like ‘Caesar on a TV Screen’ and ‘On your side’ into new found fan favourites such as ‘Second Best’ and ‘I Hold Your Anger’.
After the ineffable inclusion of Aurora’s Albanian ancestry in ‘Gjuha’, I was personally so excited to see ‘Rifle’ be included in the setlist, a thunderous war cry and commentary on just how noble could it be to kill. The Last Dinner Party were ravenous in their rapture, gleefully singing themes far heavier than what you could think a band that sounds so celestial could conduct, and so with your previous expectations, crush to dust.
Something consistently commendable from this band is their ability to transmute the energy of their fans into a force for good, not only amongst the crowd and the feeling from their gigs, but also in the organisations they collaborate with. ‘Ribbons For Provisions’, an initiative they’ve brought back for a second time in their UK tour after collaborating last year with Bankuet - A charity working with food banks to ensure centres can get exactly what they need and request more of certain supplies.
The joyous nature wrought in their gigs providing in equal measure, an awareness that sorrow sews its seeds in the fabric of this country, and if we don’t have each other, then really, what do we have?
As relayed by Abigail during set, the last three years, the amount of people that need food banks/ are food insecure has tripled.
(The Trussell Trust, 2025)
For a band that rests their aesthetics in the old and medieval, their sound is fresh and free. Judgement is cast jubilantly on the world’s troubles and their own, cleverly constructed in absurdity and jest. I can’t tell you how fun they are to see live. I can’t tell you how much their sound may draw from the old, but they’re providing something new. Hopefully you’ll see it yourself the next time they tour.
The Last Dinner Party are set to head to Australia and the EU next, kicking the ‘From The Pyre’ tour off 10th January 2026.
