Welcome to Vonnie and Elsa Band Together, your recurrent rendezvous for music obsessed writers who attend more concerts than recommended.
Today, we are reviewing The Last Dinner Party’s concert in Brussels, Belgium that took place on Friday, February 27th.
What were you most looking forward to before the concert?
ELSA: I really enjoy listening to The Last Dinner Party’s albums and I had a lot of fun at their concert at Cirque Royal in 2024. I was excited to hear the song “From The Pyre” live and to dance and sing with my friends. Let’s be honest, the members are very hot so I was also happy to see them on stage again and to get to gay panic a little bit.
VONNIE: I was curious to see how The Last Dinner Party would perform in such a big venue. I forgot that I saw them in that same venue when they opened for Hozier in 2023. It was also the moment I discovered them. Their Prelude to Ecstasy concert in 2024 was such a highlight for me. I was certain they would put on an incredible show this time too, but since the audience was much bigger, it did make me curious how the stage design and choreography would be.
Which part of the performance did you enjoy the most?
ELSA: I think one of the biggest strengths of The Last Dinner Party is how complementary the members are. While Abigail is wonderful as the main singer of the band, I really enjoyed listening to Lizzie and Aurora take the lead on some songs. “Rifle” left a really strong impression on me. It’s my favorite song on “From The Pyre”. The chorus goes really hard and the vocals during the bridge were impressive— and they sang it in French!
I also love that they harmonize together so much and so well. The a cappella introduction of “Woman is a Tree” gave me chills and the backing vocals in general on this song are really beautiful.
VONNIE: I have a special connection to songs pertaining to the queer experience through a religious lens, therefore “Sinner” and “My Lady of Mercy” have been the ones I always look forward to. Abigail came down to the crowd for “My Lady of Mercy” and touched my hand in passing, then sang with a pride flag. It was such an adrenaline filled moment for me. I really enjoyed “Rifle” because of all the changes in production and vocals. I feel it really highlights each member’s individual talent.
Which song made you dance?
ELSA: “This Is the Killer Speaking”— thanks to Abigail’s special modern dance lesson teaching us three steps to dance with the whole band. I really liked her little skit and this song is so catchy anyway.
VONNIE: “This Is The Killer Speaking” was such a joyful moment. Abigail showed that she’s great at hyping up a crowd and making them dance and sing. It was the perfect track to end the concert with.
Which song made you cry?
ELSA: I didn’t cry but “Sail Away” definitely made me emotional. The harmonies are especially beautiful on this one. When they sang “Take you with me everywhere / I’ll take you with me anywhere”, I really felt that deeply. The way spotlights were reflecting on a giant crib mobile and projecting birds reflections all around the venue was also really pretty.
VONNIE: I was emotional during “The Scythe.” Not for any personal reason, but because the lyrics felt very fitting with the moment. The concert was almost over and the band singing “Don’t cry, we’re bound together / Each life runs its course / I’ll see you in the next one / Next time I know you’ll call” while smiling at the crowd made me miss the moment while I was still living it. I did not cry though, it was still a joyful experience.
What surprised you the most?
ELSA: That the set was actually two hours long and that they played almost their whole discography. That’s no small feat!
VONNIE: I was shocked to find out Lizzie was singing most of the time on “Rifle.” It is one of my favorites on the album with “Count The Ways.” I can recognise Abigail and Aurora’s vocals quite well, but I didn’t know Lizzie was also singing main vocals.
What did you think of the opening act?
ELSA: The opening act was Sunday(1994). Their music was cool but dream pop isn’t really my thing so it didn’t stick with me. Surprisingly, one of their songs had some metal influence and it was the one I liked the most. The singer is quite charismatic. I think they have potential to cater to indie fans but they need to stand out a bit more in their sound.
VONNIE: I listen to a lot of music and theirs reminded me of a lot of others, but in the end it was this factor that made me curious about one of their songs. The production was deeply reminiscent of Ethel Cain, whose music I’m a massive fan of.
What was the vibe? How was the crowd?
ELSA: We got to the front row in the pit (without queuing). It was nice over there because we were around massive fans. But if you turned around, you could see that the sitting audience wasn’t particularly enthusiastic that night— which is a shame because the band is really good.
VONNIE: In our corner of the room everyone was hyped, but I was shocked that the crowd wasn’t really singing along, especially during “Nothing Matters” which is their most popular song. It made me feel a little bit sad and missing the smaller venue that they played last time. The atmosphere back then was much more lively.
Did you buy merch?
ELSA: No, we didn’t buy any official merch this time but we supported the band’s Ribbons for Provisions initiative. They collaborate with local food banks in every city included on the tour and we each bought a pink ribbon with The Last Dinner Party written on it to raise funds for Community Kitchen.
What were your overall thoughts?
ELSA: I was a bit tired already before the start of the concert but I had a lot of fun! I love that The Last Dinner Party have such a distinct sound to their songs. They are incredible performers and their artistry is exceptional. I also really enjoy how loud they are about their activism, not shaming away from supporting causes that matter to them and giving back to different communities in need with their music. We need more feminine/queer rock bands!
VONNIE: I appreciated how they made sure each side of the room would get a good view, especially Abigail who moved around a lot. I’m always impressed with their stage design and how talented each member is. This was no exception.
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