In their first American tour, The Last Dinner Party shine at the Royale

All photos by Faith Nguyen for WRBB.

The chandelier-lit halls of the Royale are typically filled with late-night partiers ready for a night of electronic music and drinking. On Sunday, March 24, a rather different demographic of people streamed through the venue. In wine-red lipstick, flowy skirts, and black lace from head to toe, droves of young people gathered for one uniting reason–to see the British rock band, The Last Dinner Party, at their first-ever show in Boston.

Tangible anticipation filled the air as the crowd grew and grew. Even in the band's American debut, the show had been sold out for months, as The Last Dinner Party exploded into stardom after the release of their first album, “Prelude to Ecstasy”. With their striking aesthetics and profound lyricism, it's no wonder The Last Dinner Party has become an immediate staple in the indie rock scene, finding particular success with young women and non-binary individuals — who also made up the overwhelming majority of the crowd in Boston that night.

First to take the stage was electronic musician and vocalist Miss Grit, also known as Margaret Dewey Sohn. Hailing from Queens, the young artist was accompanied on stage by only her guitar, a projector, and Ableton Live running on her laptop. Despite the minimal production, Miss Grit quickly won the audience over, bringing ethereal sounds and captivating visuals to the stage. Using a looping pedal to overlay guitar parts and vocals, she owned the Royale stage, even while mostly hidden in darkness. Miss Grit was bid farewell with raucous applause, leaving the crowd hungry for the main course.

Miss Grit.

At last, the red velvet curtains were drawn, signaling the moment everyone had been waiting for. One by one, each of the five members of The Last Dinner Party, as well as their drummer, took the stage. Last to arrive was lead singer, Abigail Morris, who drew a near-feral reaction from the venue full of superfans. As the band played their album top to bottom, the crowd sang along for the whole set, eating up every second of interaction. No corner of the crowd was left unattended, as the five key members spread across the entire width of the stage, each performing with passion and drama while never outshining the others. Abigail made for a natural frontwoman, confidently parading around stage, but every member made their presence known. Emily Roberts offered impressive solos on both the guitar and flute, while Georgia Davies effortlessly held down the rhythm with a twirl of her ribbon-clad bass guitar. And of course, the band’s signature sound would not be the same without the melancholy harmonies that Lizzie Mayland and Aurora Nishevci provided with their voices and instruments.

The Last Dinner Party.

Seamlessly delivering both touching ballads and bright, energetic numbers like “Sinner,” The Last Dinner Party took the audience through a journey of love, loss and every emotion in between. The band had sky-high expectations on their U.S. debut after their quick rise to fame, and they certainly delivered in Boston. Performing way beyond their years as a band, they had their audience wrapped around their fingers. Short and sweet, they played through their whole discography in less than an hour, leaving fans wanting even more. From the cohesion of music, outfits, and even the baroque details of Royale as a venue, arguably the biggest part of The Last Dinner Party’s success is in their distinct identity from their conception, leading to a fervently dedicated fanbase in a very specific niche. It will be exciting to see where time will take this band as they mature, but after their fiery show in Boston, it’s clear that they are here to stay.