The Last Dinner Party serving in Brighton
words + photography by NADINE GOETZBefore wrapping up their UK and Ireland tour in their hometown, London, British rock band The Last Dinner Party returned to Brighton on December 5th as part of their massive 35-date tour throughout 2025 and 2026. The band was founded in 2020 by three students: Abigail Morris (lead vocals), Lizzie Mayland (guitar/vocals), Emily Roberts (lead guitar/flute/mandolin). Georgia Davies (bass) and Aurora Nishevci (keyboard/vocals) later joined the band before they even had their first-ever live performance. In 2024, they achieved international success with their debut album ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’ which was followed this year by their second album ‘From The Pyre’ released in October 2025.
They were supported on this tour by Imogen and the Knife, a singer-songwriter from Newcastle. Imogen Williams and her four-piece band – a bass player, a drummer and two brass players – were clearly loved by the audience, with some fans even shouting “I love you!” already. Imogen really shone with her beautiful voice, which felt almost tender but haunting at times. There was an almost peaceful atmosphere and a sense of ease in the air as Imogen and her band played a set of slow songs and tender ballads. She told the crowd that her unreleased song ‘Girl (Running)’ was inspired by her experience growing up in Newcastle as a female musician. Another song ‘Paris Night’, from her 2024 released EP ‘Some Kind of Love’, was written for her sister — about how she whisked her away to Paris on a last minute trip that was influential to their relationship at the time. Imogen even brought Lizzie Mayland from The Last Dinner Party on stage for a rendition of ‘Mother Mother’, telling the crowd how she helped Lizzie produce the track for their solo EP ‘The Slow Fire of Sleep’, released in May 2025. Before ending her set with ‘Red (Is My Colour)’, Imogen thanked the audience for being so kind and for truly listening to her music, before jokingly adding “Please, can you promote to at least bopping your head?”.
Shortly after, The Last Dinner Party took the stage to a wave of applause. They opened with ‘Agnus Dei’ from their latest album, immediately drawing the crowd in as fans began to sing and move along. Very quickly, the band and the audience were clearly feeding off each other’s energy. Especially lead singer Abigail filled the stage with endless energy throughout the night. The rain outside did nothing to dampen the mood inside the Brighton Centre that night. “Are you having fun?” Abigail Morris called out during the show, before adding; “You might be the best-dressed crowd we’ve seen on this tour”. She spoke about wandering around Brighton earlier that day, admiring all the “gorgeous shops”, and said it made perfect sense that everyone in the room looked just as gorgeous. The band followed with ‘Count The Ways’, then launched into ‘The Feminine Urge’ and ‘Caesar on a TV Screen’ from their debut album ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’. Over the next ninety minutes, they wove together favourites from their debut album, unreleased songs such as ‘Big Dog’, as well as songs from their latest record ‘From The Pyre’. The setlist was a well-balanced mix which kept the energy high while allowing intimate moments and crowd interactions, for example, when Abigail taught the crowd a choreography for ‘This Is The Killer Speaking’. She joked that they had been working on this choreography for over a month before teasing “Brighton, you‘re good but you could be great”, urging everyone to dance along with the band. Those lighthearted and humorous touches helped to build a strong connection between the group and their fans, many of whom were dressed similarly to the band’s aesthetic, dancing and enjoying themselves throughout the night – from the front row to the very back.
At one point, Abigail reflected on performing live and on their writing process: “We love writing in the studio together. We love the music that we make, but still there’s something missing before you take it on the road. You – the fans – are the missing piece – to see people singing and dancing along”. Her words were met with loud screams and applause. Introducing the next song, ‘The Scythe’ from their new album, she added: “I was thinking of coming back on tour when we were doing it in the studio”. Although Abigail is the band’s lead vocalist, Lizzie and Aurora also stepped into the spotlight with solo performances. Aurora sang a track called ‘Gjuha’, in Albanian, and told the audience that she had recently watched ‘Kneecap (2024)’, by the Belfast Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, a film that, she said, truly encapsulates what ‘Gjuha’ means to her. “It‘s about learning to connect through language,” she explained, “A celebration of language which brings you closer to so many people”.
The band’s stage design was beautiful and carefully thought through: a gorgeous mix of draped fabric curtains, grass and moss, statues and archways that created a baroque, almost haunted aesthetic. Their outfits – flowing gowns and dresses – matched that mood perfectly. At some point during the show, Abigail took a moment to address the audience, speaking especially to the students and young people in the room. She told them to never listen to anyone who says they have no power, insisting that they absolutely have the power to change what needs changing. On this tour, as on the last, the band has partnered with Bankuet Ribbons for Provisions, raising money for food banks. Morris explained that the project “takes the donations and puts them where they’re needed”, with zero waste, as people receive exactly the items they need. She added that “everything you donate today will go to a food bank in Brighton”. The ribbons can be purchased online, at the merch stand and around the venue at every show. The band has already raised 30,000 pounds during the UK leg of this tour.
Throughout the night, the band were met with constant applause – so much so that Abigail at one point giggled and playfully told the crowd to “stop it”, which only made the fans scream even louder. “We‘re out of control, Brighton”, she laughed. It’s obvious that over the last few years, the band has built a devoted and loving fanbase. Abigail and the rest of the band harmonised beautifully throughout the set, even weaving in a few a cappella moments that really showcased their vocal talent. It feels as though they’ve only grown stronger since their last tour in 2024. The set was playful yet full of energy, and it was clear how tightly the band plays together. Abigail is an excellent frontwoman, guiding the performance with ease and a lot of charisma. Before bringing the night to a close, she thanked the entire crew, reading out every single name before leading the band into a reprise of the opening song ‘Agnus Dei’ to end the show.
There is absolutely no doubt that The Last Dinner Party will only continue to grow and get better in the years to come. Their set felt spectacular from start to finish. Each band member is individually talented, some playing multiple instruments and the band especially shines through their beautiful blended harmonies. The show often almost felt theatrical, with the band‘s sound rooted in baroque pop with alt- and indie-rock influences, orchestral arrangements and theatrical elements. The performance was consistently captivating and powerful throughout the whole night. When performing their hit song ‘Nothing Matters’, which they first released as a single in 2023, the crowd all waved their arms in unison, amplifying a sense of togetherness and belonging in the room that night. The Last Dinner Party are a band you definitely do not want to miss – one well worth seeing live when given the chance.
All photography property of
Nadine Goetz.
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