In a break from my concert catch up, here's a review of The Last Dinner Party's show at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff on 2nd December 2025 by my very special guest, Mike!
So, Mike, how do you manage to feel very old in Wales on a Tuesday night?
Go to a gig where the average age of the rest of the crowd is 35 years + below your own!
Yes, the above is an issue. Luckily some of the audience at the back were parents – However, I had no such excuse!
So why were you there?
Good question! I blame YouTube!
I made the mistake of watching one video of The Last Dinner Party and thought it was quite good and then I just randomly looked at other videos by them that then popped up on the right hand side of my screen and realised I liked a lot of them!
I also have been having an issue with mates who will go and see [insert band name] that we have seen for the 37th time and have been watching them since 1983. Can we attempt watching something new please!!
We’ve all got mates like that, right? Maybe it’s YOU! [not me, Mike, I promise! - K]
But I do think we do need to tune into new stuff otherwise we may as well shuffle off to the old people’s home now..!
So it’s 8.30pm and I am ‘juries out’ as to what I’m going to see…and then the music between the support and the main band starts coming out (which I assume the band members have chosen)..
First up – This Corrosion by The Sisters Of Mercy…how great does that sound in a large arena?
Then Baby’s On Fire by Brian Eno – the teenagers next to me are utterly mystified – fantastic!
Next a Jimmy Somerville track, Coming, from the film Orlando – great!
Then Scott Walker! [According to my "research", I believe it's The Walker Brothers' 1966 cover of Another Tear Falls, originally by Gene McDaniels & The Johnny Mann Singers - K)
It was worth crossing the bridge just to listen to this – whoo!
And then the band came on….
I have to admit if a 80’s or 90’s band sang the second line of the first song "Lee Hazelwood, you were singing" then this would be apt but a band where members of the band were born in the late 1990’s..WTF!
Agnus Dei is The Last Dinner Party in a microcosm – if you don’t like, then it’s potentially a Queen rip off; if you like it (like me) then it’s clever word play, with excellent musicianship.
Next up Count The Ways – Abigail is quite the showwoman – is that a word? (it’s underlined in red so I assume not but it’s staying in) and her voice is pretty incredible throughout.
Personally I don’t like The Feminine Urge as much as some of the other tracks and I felt I Hold Your Anger was a bit of a dirge (sorry Aurora) but throughout the first half the album tracks stand out really well and show how talented they all are as musicians.
There are two standout tracks for me – Second Best which was one of those tracks that got me out of the house and take the 50 mile trip to Cardiff. The verses are pure Sparks for me but the chorus is a Siouxsie / PJ Harvey mash-up and remind me of something that wouldn’t have been out of place on Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea.
The second is Rifle which is part prog, part heavy metal. It also highlights how well the guitars are played throughout the performance – I was trying to recall the last time I heard lead guitars played so well at a gig.
Big Dog continued the loud guitars – and therein lies the conundrum of The Last Dinner Party – I saw one comment which was "trust fund, indie posho rock" and I can see that argument but why not just enjoy it??
I really like The Scythe – the flute is excellent and I think it just works and the song shows off the best of all the musicians. The last four songs are all excellent – My Lady Of Mercy the standout for me on the night just because of the rawness of it and excellent drum and bass playing.
A two song encore ensues and the night ends… what do I make of it? At their worst The Last Dinner Party are a caricature of all your favourite bands from the 20th century. Sometimes it does become a little bit too derivative but which bands aren’t? I love Suede but they have a tendency to rip off Bowie..
However at their best The Last Dinner Party really are a fantastic live band.
I’m fascinated about what happens now – I think history suggests that at some point Abigail will go solo but I hope that doesn’t happen. It’s obvious when you see them live that it’s five very talented women (with a stand in female / male drummer!) [the band don't have a permanent drummer - K] who will produce better music together than apart.
For those that are sniffy about this stuff, have a proper listen and you’ll gain from the experience.
Thanks, Mike! Whilst I like to think I'm not sniffy about this stuff, I also have to confess that The Last Dinner Party have so far completely passed me by. This was a great way to get a crash course introduction to the band and their music.
Personally, I think it'll take a few more listens, though I enjoyed their videos and live performances.
Also, respect to The Last Dinner Party for a value-for-money 20-song set, including the whole of current album From The Pyre, an encores and a reprise of Agnus Dei.
1) Agnus Dei
2) Count The Ways
3) The Feminine Urge
4) Caesar On A TV Screen
5) On Your Side
6) Second Best
7) Hold Your Anger
8) Woman Is A Tree
9) Gjuha
10) Rifle
11) Big Dog
12) Burn Alive
13) The Scythe
14) Sail Away
15) Sinner
16) My Lady Of Mercy
17) Inferno
18) Nothing Matters
Encore
19) This Is The Killer Speaking
20) Agnus Dei (reprise, with tour crew thanks)
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