The Last Dinner Party, a BRIT Award-winning rock band, made their Toronto debut at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on March 30, 2024. They played their first headlining album, Prelude to Ecstasy, to a sold-out show of excited fans, including myself.
From their upbeat song “Nothing Matters,” to the gut-wrenching ballad of “Beautiful Boy” and a surprise cover of “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak, the band’s diverse talent had me in awe throughout their entire performance.
The red lights dimmed as the beautiful instrumental track, “Prelude to Ecstasy,” played while fans screamed in anticipation. Band members Lizzie Mayland (guitar and backing vocals), Aurora Nishevci (keys and backing vocals), Georgia Davies (bass), and Emily Roberts (lead guitar, flute, and mandolin) made their way onto the stage, skipping to their places and waving hello to the crowd.
The band currently does not have a permanent drummer, but they were joined by Rebekah Rayner during their live performances.
An exhilarating energy flowed through the crowd as Rayner hit the symbols that triggered Roberts’ guitar in “Burn Alive,” which I was very excited to hear as it’s one of my favourite songs.
As the intro played, lead singer Abigail Morris flirtatiously wandered onto the stage and smirked at the crowd as she headed toward her mic. A beat dropped as she flipped her hair before beginning to sing, her voice sounding as angelic as it does on the record.
I was captivated throughout the entire hour by the band’s stage presence. Their outfits resembled that of stylish renaissance apparel, a common trend the band has followed since making their debut.
Roberts’ outfit was definitely one of my favourites. She was dressed in an all-white, flowy gown that stopped at her knees, complete with puffy sleeves that ended at her elbows. She wore white tights underneath and had her hair in a high ponytail with a white ribbon wrapped around the base. Though already beautiful, the best part was the feathered angel wings she wore on her back, giving the outfit a beautiful, classic and unique feel.
Their stylish fashion choices amplified their occupancy onstage. While dancing in their fun gowns and outfits, it was evident that the band was having just as much fun onstage as the crowd was.
Morris, in particular, made moments to connect with her bandmates on stage by singing cheek-to-cheek with them into one mic, getting on her knees to play air guitar with Roberts and Nishevci, or even letting Davies sing some lyrics during “Nothing Matters.”
A moment of this close connection could be seen during “Gjuha,” an Albanian song written and performed by the group’s pianist and backing vocalist, Nishevci, about the shame of not being able to speak her mother tongue.
As she was singing, Morris and Mayland performed backing vocals, and Roberts played the mandolin, making this song such a raw, significant moment within their show that showcased the amazing artistry this band can create.
I got very emotional during this performance as its elusive and mysterious melody carries a deep meaning concerning an ashamed woman not knowing her cultural identity. The lyrics “Moj e bukura, Fati im, Kurrë ste pashë,” translate to “Oh, my beauty, My fate, I never saw you.”
These powerful lyrics convey an impactful sense of guilt as Nishevci feels the dismissal of her culture is a missed opportunity she can’t get back.
Tears shed during “Gjuha,” “Beautiful Boy,” and “On Your Side” — all musically and lyrically emotional tracks — were quickly wiped away to return to the heavy dancing and screaming with “Sinner.” This upbeat, guitar-heavy song had everyone screaming during the chorus as Morris tilted her mic toward the audience to shout, “Before it felt like a sin!”
This song is one of my favourites off the album due to the amazing instrumental parts in it. Roberts’ guitar solo blows me away whenever listening to it, and it was so fun to hear live.
Out of breath and grinning a smile of gratitude, Morris walked to the center of the stage and held her mic close to her mouth. She thanked the crowd for their time and took a moment before continuing to speak. Looking around the theatre, she closed out the show by saying, “Be kind, take care of each other, and remember, nothing matters.”
The purple and pink lights dimmed as Morris took a swig of water while Nishevci played the keyboard intro of “Nothing Matters,” their most popular song that landed them on the Billboard lists and UK music charts after its release last summer.
The entire crowd danced as the band performed their last song of the night. Everyone was smiling and singing as they enjoyed the last moments of the band’s live performance, including the band members. Morris giggled while putting the microphone in front of Davies while she screamed, “Nothing matters” before the chorus.
I walked home with swollen feet and a grin across my face. The Last Dinner Party delivered an amazing live performance that lived up to the immense hype that surrounds them.
They are currently touring until the fall of 2024. Tickets can be purchased on their website.