The Last Dinner Party - ‘The Last Pyre’ Tour Brisbane 19/01/26

UK based alt rock, indie band, The Last Dinner Party graced us with their presence for their album ‘The Last Pyre’ (Australian) tour. A beautiful cascade of motion, femininity and sound. The stage design looked like something out of a wedding with drapped curtains, curved archways, complete with a bell tower. An array of intrumets could be seen across the stage, a grand piano, keyboard and organ, flute, saxophone, keytar and your usual electric guitars, and bass. The set featuring their biggest hits “Count The Ways”, “Second Best” and “Nothing Matters” while slowing it down for “Woman is a Tree” with etheral harmonzing that sounded like a war cry. A moment of reflection with Aurora “Rora” Nishevci on “Gjuha” a song about the shame of not being fluent in her mother tongue, Albanian and the surrounding experiences, perfectly accompanied with a mandolin.

The band spoke about their charity campaign ‘Ribbons for Provisions’ partnering with Ozharvest to raise money for food banks across Australia . Fans could pick up a ribbon with ‘The Last Dinner Party’ embelished on top in exchange for a donation to Ozharvest. In 2024, The Last Dinner Party raised close to $130,000AUD for food banks across their tours.

There was a stopage during “Rifle” due to an incident with a member of the crowd, lead woman Abilgail joked about everyone now knowing they’re not lip synching before fumberling where they were up to in the song and resuming from verse two.

The engery ramped up for the unreleased track “Big Dog” with the drone of the eletric guitar reminiscent of 80s rock punching you in the face and a saxophone solo for an extra punch. The song felt like a taunt and welcomed attack on the patriarchy with lyrics “I’ll make my absence feel like violence / I am howling / I’m a big dog”.

The set continued with the melodic ‘Portrait Of A Dead Girl’, emotional delivery of ‘The Scythe’, piano led ‘Sail Away’, the last track of their latest album ‘Inferno’.  Followed up by ‘Sinner’, then into ‘My Lady Of Mercy’ where Abagail joined fans along the barrier screaming lyrics into their faces being met back with the same chaotic energy. Up next, ‘Knocking At The Sky’, ending on a high with favourites ‘Nothing Matters’ where Abigail and Rora took turns wearing a hat made by a fan. Another, fan made item made it onto the stage - a “lesbian flag” with the writing “LESBOS FOR THE LAST DINNER PARTY” which Abigail showed off excitedly saying “period” before placing it over the grand piano to commence their last song ‘This is the Killer Speaking’.

Nothing short of, this two hour spectacle was a devoured feast, no crumbs left behind.