THE LAST DINNER PARTY IN MANCHESTER

‘THINK BALLET AND OPERA COMBINED WITH BOWIE AND STEVIE NICKS’

BY RUBY WEATHERILL

Goddesses of the music world, The Last Dinner Party, took to the stage on Thursday (12/10) evening at their sold out show in Manchester Academy.

I say goddesses and do not mean it lightly, The Last Dinner Party are the best thing to happen to women since creation itself. After seeing them pre name change at Neighborhood last year I have been hooked and slowly dripfed releases and news until last night, an apex of showmanship.

There are not many times in life where you see a group of six people that look like they are made to be on a stage but that is exactly what you get with these artists. No single person on the stage looks out of place in fact if you’d told me each of the band members are immortal beings who have been performing together since the dawn of time I wouldn’t question you in the slightest.

Whether you’ve heard of them or not, you are sure to know them soon. Talking to their drummer Rebekah Rayner, she told me she still sees them as an “underground band” but that is all changing.

With only 3 songs released and a tour still ahead of them The Last Dinner Party are sure to be household names within the year.

PICTURE PARLOUR

Supported by Picture Parlour, who are already credited by NME and Courtney Love to name a few.

Picture Parlour took to the stage at 8pm, I was in prime spot in the center of the crowd eager to see a band I’ve been waiting months for; they do not disappoint. In fact they stole my attention from Dinner Party, it could have been a Picture Parlour show the way the crowd reacted to them.

Katherine Parlour is a talent like no other, if you married Alex Turner and Amy Winehouse’s vocals together you would create Parlour. She owned the stage for 30 minutes. With drum fills to rival Led Zeppelin, watching Picture Parlour perform feels like you’re a part of history being made.

To top that off, a personal moment for me, watching Ella Risi solo on guitar was something of a biblical moment, we attended the same highschool meaning the last time I saw her perform I was probably 11 at a school recital; she has always had star quality, to see her on stage at the Academy really proves the fact!

THE LAST DINNER PARTY

After a comedown from Picture Parlour’s opening set The Last Dinner Party ignited. This was my third time seeing them and they just get better everytime.

Last October I stumbled into Yes hoping to see L’objectif and found them instead. Even in the early days of following them I told people they were going to be something special. Since then I saw them at Boardmasters, dragging along three new friends who mid set opened their phones and followed them on Spotify.

Seeing The Last Dinner Party perform is not like your typical gig, from start to finish it’s an encapsulating show, think Ballet and Opera combined with Bowie and Stevie Nicks. My only complaint everytime is that it didn’t last longer.

Frontwoman Abigaille transports you to another realm, her vocals are insane but her energy is completely unmatched. She truly used every inch of the building to further her performance practically bouncing off the stage during Nothing Matters to interact with her adoring fans.

From start to finish I was in awe of every person on that stage. Their command of the audience, lighting and their instruments is something you rarely see in even seasoned musicians, I marvel at this band.

If you took Black Country New Road and added an essence of Fleetwood Mac and Witchcraft you would have The Last Dinner Party. With 4 shows of their tour played starting in Blackpool and ending in November across the pond (which is sold out) you can only expect bigger and better from them now. (TICKETS HERE)

📸 Ben Ogden

I was lucky enough to run into their drummer Rebekah in MediaCity after grabbing a pick me up coffee to drag away my post gig depression still in my merch from the night before she told me “I cannot comprehend that we are playing arenas at the end of the year” going on to say it’s just something she’ll fully register when they actually get onto the stage.

I implore you to claw, beg and scrape your way into seeing The Last Dinner Party before they become Worldwide sensations. I am blown away by them everytime!

Their latest song My Lady of Mercy is out now, stream it, scream it, wail it from Roof Tops you know what to do!