D.C. Gives 6,000 Reasons Why The Last Dinner Party Is The Real Deal

What did the band walk out to? 6,000 passionate fans, each one boiling with excitement.

It was obvious from the first song, The Last Dinner Party is no joke. Throughout the first fifteen minutes lead singer Abigail Morris touched almost every part of the stage. As she galloped from side to side she reached out to the crowd spreading the band's energy to those in the front rows. The supporting performances from Lizzie Mayland, Emily Roberts, Aurora Nishevci, and Max Lilley carried that energy approximately 135 feet to the back of the venue.

They command the crowd with the infectious energy of a rockstar. But approach the performance with a care and sensibility typically found in slower performances. A strange middle ground they toe perfectly. While they won't frequently open up mosh pits, they'll encourage dancing, loving, laughing, and maybe crying. Their sound somewhat mirrors this, they can deliver rock anthems that are reminiscent of Queen, and slow orchestral burns whose sound reflects that of Black Country, New Road. When you mix the two you get art rock that comes right from the windmill scene, while sounding like nothing from the windmill scene. Rather it sounds their own, and it can be hard to accurately compare them to others.

As they made their way through the 20 songs on their setlist things seemed to fall away. Themes became clearer, their voices grew stronger, and the large intimidating stage setup seemed to crumble away. I'd like to imagine that by the end of the concert each audience member had at least experienced one song where the barrier between individual and artist had disappeared. As Abigail Morris put it the "songs sound different at every stop", the audience seemingly connects to the band, and changes the context of their performances.

It can be hard for artists to anchor themselves down to experiences and thoughts that are universal. In some cases personal experience and a lack of understanding can separate the art from the wider world, or make it extremely complicated to digest - for better or for worse. But the group's latest batch of songs have stitched the line between deep personal experience and intense universal emotions in ways that feel both totally authentic to the band, while still being relatable for their audience. It's music that latches onto you on the first listen and reveals itself as you listen to the songs over and over. These aspects are rare for newer bands, especially ones that experience this level of success so early in their career.

Their meteoric rise has been marked by defiance, humanity, and confidence. So it should be no surprise to me, or to you, that the group very clearly puts their thoughts on display. Throughout the night they made statements on recent U.S. immigration practices before playing Gjuha. Explored femininity, resilience, dependence, and the pressure of motherhood on songs like I Hold Your Anger and Woman Is a Tree. And at one point the band came out to the barricade, and lead singer Abigail Morris waved a pride flag over her head, before carrying it to center stage. These clear displays of who they are, what pressures they feel, what experiences they've had, and what they stand for are powerful. No matter who you are, being able to be seen at a concert, and seeing yourself displayed on stage, is exceedingly important. While some may think these displays aren't “proper” at a concert, I’d argue they're more important now than they ever have been.

These actions are an anchor for the band's themes, and even though I can't relate to most of their individual experiences, their passion, understanding, and care shined through.

The Last Dinner Party is made from humanity. It is made from lived experience. It is made from resilience. It is made from authenticity. But most importantly the music comes from a place of thankfulness, kindness, and care.

In case you needed another reason to see them on the last two legs of their From The Pyre Tour, $1 from every ticket sale is donated to local food banks at every stop.

Keep up with The Last Dinner Party here.

SubWoofer sends our love and support to bassist Georgia Davies, who couldn't make this show due to an injury. We wish her a speedy recovery.