The Last Dinner Party’s “From The Pyre Tour” Is A Vibrant, Unmissable Escape
Written by Taylor Gabrovic
Graphic by Rebekah Witt
While walking the streets of downtown New Haven, Connecticut, on the evening of April 17, one could spot a combination of Yale students and faculty, the Harvard women’s lacrosse team, and more uniquely, fans of The Last Dinner Party donning their cottage core best, including Doc Martens, corsets, florals, and lace.
The Connecticut stop on the band’s North American leg of the “From The Pyre Tour” marked their first time performing in New Haven, and rather hilariously, Abigail Morris, the band’s lead vocalist, went on a several-minute-long monologue discussing the band and crew’s newfound love for the city’s pizza.
The evening was opened by the talented Irish rock band Florence Road, affectionately known as Flo Ro by fans. The choice to have Florence Road as the opening act for the “From The Pyre Tour” cannot be praised enough, as they perfectly kick-started the show, as well as complemented The Last Dinner Party impeccably. Throughout their set, Florence Road played some of their biggest hits and most recent releases, including “Hanging Out To Dry,” “Rabbits Can Swim,” “Storm Warnings,” “Goodnight,” and more.
At precisely 9:00 pm, the lights dimmed, and the tension and excitement were palpable as The Last Dinner Party took the stage, dressed in their best regal, eccentric, vintage-inspired pieces. Due to an injury that happened at a tour stop in Texas, the band was noticeably missing their talented bass guitarist, Georgia Davies. Despite being down a member, the band's other members (Abigail Morris, Emily Roberts, Aurora Nishevci, and Lizzie Mayland) persevered and put on a vibrant show full of stunning visuals, vocals, and instrumental work.
With a stage adorned with beautiful arches, a somewhat foreboding church bell, and a hypnotizing spinning bird mobile hanging from the ceiling, the venue felt very Shakespearean. Ultimately, through the stage design and their fashion choices, The Last Dinner Party perfectly transported its audience to the album’s setting through aesthetics.
The evening's setlist featured every track from the band’s most recent album, From The Pyre, which is always a marvelous choice since it showcases the entire body of new work and avoids the risk of excluding a fan’s favorite song. There were also several tracks played from the band’s 2024 debut album, Prelude to Ecstasy, including “Sinner,” “The Feminine Urge,” “Caesar on a TV Screen,” “On Your Side” (which was dedicated to the band’s injured bass player, Georgia Davies), and their biggest hit to date, “Nothing Matters,” which has garnered over 225 million streams on Spotify. The band also chose to play one unreleased track titled “Big Dog,” which, based on the audience's excited and enthusiastic reactions, needs to be released on streaming as soon as possible!
The band also opted to play “Gjuha,” which featured an introduction by keyboardist and vocalist Aurora Nishevci, who discussed the personal story behind the song and their experiences as both English and Albanian. Nishevci also took the chance to subtly comment on the current political climate in the United States, specifically its current immigration policies: “This really is a song about wanting to connect with the people, a place, and a culture that I have been removed from, and it makes me very proud to be a child of immigrants. I think there is nothing more valuable than being around other cultures, languages, and different points of view. From the outside looking in, I think that is what makes America so special…And I just want to cherish that with you for a second.”
It is not an exaggeration to say that lead vocalist Abigail Morris has one of the best stage presences in the genre today, with her enthusiasm, seemingly endless energy, and charisma. And the rest of the band’s members perfectly complement that energy with their own talents and personalities.
If the “From The Pyre Tour” has not already made its stop in your city, it would be a shame to miss your chance to see these two talented bands live together in intimate venues, since it is likely that they will be playing arenas and other larger capacity venues soon enough. In fact, The Last Dinner Party will be opening for some arena dates on Sombr’s “YOU ARE THE REASON TOUR” this fall.