The Last Dinner Party have caused a stir since their arrival on the new music scene. The British six-piece were signed to Island Records before the release of their debut single and have already supported high-profile artists such as Lana Del Rey and Florence and the Machine. Add to that an action-packed summer festival season, and the future is certainly looking rosy for the group.

On Tuesday evening, the band made their first appearance in Newcastle. And with so much buzz around The Last Dinner Party at present, the show was a complete sell-out. But it was not only the venue that was crowded, with six members of the band congregated on The Cluny’s “cosy” stage, the show was intimate in more ways than one.

Following a wonderful opening set from Picture Parlour, The Last Dinner Party took to the stage. Atmospheric music played as the band made their arrival. The group have a strong identity both visually and musically, and many fans present emulated those on stage. The most obvious sign of this was an abundance of supporters wearing gold laurel wreath headpieces, similar to that found in Greek or Roman mythology. The band predominantly wore white dresses, except lead singer Abigail Morris, who was bedecked a majestic long black dress with trailing sleeves. 

With the band’s debut album tipped for a 2024 release, the six-piece got to the task of introducing their repertoire to a fever-pitch Newcastle audience. The show got underway with Burn Alive, Caeser on TV and Feminine Urge. Vocalist Abigail Morris enchanted the audience with her undeniable stage presence, dancing, astounding voice, and engaging persona. 

The beauty of The Last Dinner Party is their versatility and incredible musical talent. Frequently during the evening, members of the group switched between instruments. Lead guitarist Emily Roberts grappled with Flute during the song Beautiful Boy and Mandolin during Gjuha. The latter illustrates keyboard player Aurora Nishevci’s relationship with her Albanian mother tongue. And with the song’s heavenly vocal harmonies, it almost felt like the Tyneside audience was witnessing a church choir.

The inclusion of the recent single Sinner was certainly a hit. Abigail’s relentless energy and enthusiasm spurred on the excitable Newcastle crowd. The singer’s passionate delivery during Portrait of a Dead Girl was of note. 

Versatile lead guitarist Emily Roberts dazzled the audience with a blistering guitar solo during Mirror. The band truly rocked during their new single Lady of Mercy. The latter was a song which had only been released 24 hours prior, but the fans already knew the song word for word. The night was brought to a close with their anthemic first single Nothing Matters.

Morris thanked the audience for joining them on Mount Olympus, a fitting reference based on the band’s aesthetic. The Last Dinner Party will surely climb to the top of said mountain and the summit is certainly within reach. Perhaps, the group will follow in the footsteps of their famous friends such as Florence and the Machine – only time will tell.