Existing somewhere between Sunday morning mass and a séance, The Last Dinner Party brings the theatrical tour of their latest album, From The Pyre, to Wales’s capital.
The London-based indie-rock band brought the energy to the Utilita Arena midway through their tour on the 2nd December. Openers Imogen and the Knife warmed up the crowd with a jazz-infused set, as front woman Imogen’s vocals blended with the saxophone and trumpet of her band. After an interlude of classical music, the lights dim, and the band walks on stage.
The performance is nothing but theatrical – a perfect mix of feminine whimsy from the band’s frilly dresses and ribbons to the rock guitar solos, chunky boots and leather jackets. Some songs, such as ‘Second Best’, open with choral harmonies, not so dissimilar to a cathedral’s choir. But as the song continues and the story unfolds, the lyrics’ undertones of hedonism reveal that this is not a religious experience but a summoning and celebration of feminine power and rage.
Front woman Abigail Morris dances around the stage whilst maintaining powerful vocals, a true testament to her commitment to her craft. The enjoyment she radiates from the stage infects the crowd, who are similarly clad in long, flowing skirts, lace accessories, and heavy eyeliner. She is their God, whom they worship by screaming the gospel and the band’s songs. The show is not done until they perform their magnum opus, the 2023 single ‘Nothing Matters’, which Morris jokes to the crowd has probably heard on the radio countless times.
The set is a celebration of art in all its complex layers, from the band’s vulnerable exploration of religious trauma to commenting on inside jokes with the audience (a reference to Morris saying, ‘Is it a Last Dinner Party gig if we don’t sign a lesbian flag?’) Their performance has solidified them as a band to watch for the future, not only for their talent but for their integrity. The sense of belonging and understanding between the artist and audience is tangible as the show ends, as both parties have reached their catharsis.
