02 Nov Dinner was Served by Last Dinner Party at the Olympia in Paris

A look back at the evening of October 28 at the Olympia in Paris, where it’s still unclear whether we attended a rock concert with punk influences, a cabaret, or a musical. Perhaps all of the above, and we loved every minute of it.

 

A truly complete evening for the band formed in London in 2021. Before diving into their intense set lasting an hour and fifteen minutes, let’s give credit to the two opening acts, Luvcat and Katy J Pearson.

 

LUVCAT

 

Originally from Liverpool, Luvcat was formed recently but quickly managed to win over the Olympia audience. Thirty minutes of an already varied repertoire, blending melancholy with raw rock. Picture a Tim Burton version of Sabrina Carpenter, with plenty of references to the universe of The Last Dinner Party in terms of both atmosphere and lyrics, creating a cohesive evening. We were treated to an exclusive track called (guess how) Dinner, which has just been released on streaming platforms. Definitely worth a listen!

 

 

KATY J PEARSON

 

To be completely honest, the Bristol native deserved her own concert, having released no fewer than three albums. Her set felt a bit rushed. We missed some songs like Beautiful Soul, but the performances of tracks from her latest album Someday, Now were convincing. Looking forward to her next tour.

 

 

THE LAST DINNER PARTY

 

When the red curtain rises after Prelude to Ecstasy, Abigail Morris, Lizzie Mayland, Emily Roberts, Georgia Davies, and Aurora Nishevci enchant us from the very first second with Burn Alive. Everyone is here tonight, from high schoolers to fifty-somethings, from groups of friends to small families; it’s striking and transformative. British rock is once again capturing the hearts of younger generations—thank you, TLDP.

 

 

 

 

We can’t get enough of the stage design, resembling a nighttime paradise that allows the singer to showcase her stage presence. She reminds us of one of their last performances in Paris in front of 500 people at La Maroquinerie, highlighting the band’s meteoric rise and the vertigo it brings them. After the announcement of several canceled dates in Europe at the end of this year, we feel lucky to experience this concert.

With an hour and fifteen minutes of performances, their sole album Prelude To Ecstasy is, of course, well represented. We enjoy the live versions of unreleased tracks like Big Dog, The Killer, and Second Best, one of guitarist Emily Roberts‘ favorite songs. In fact, she provoked cheers and applause from the crowd several times. Recently, a certain Brian May praised the band on Instagram, and everything suddenly seems obvious. Emily Roberts is heavily influenced by Queen in her melodies and guitar riffs, and she even previously played in a cover band called Fat Bottomed Girls. The circle is complete.

 

 

After the release of Wicked Games on streaming platforms in a live version (a cover of Chris Isaak), we hoped to hear it too. Our wish was granted, along with some surprises we didn’t expect, including a performance in Albanian by the group’s pianist Aurora Nishevci, and the highlights on Sinner, The Feminine Urge, where everyone screamed, « Do you feel like a man when I can’t talk back? Do you want me or do you want control? »

In conclusion, we can’t wait for the two-hour sets.

Check out all our photos from the evening right here!

 

SETLIST

 

Prelude to Ecstasy

Burn Alive

Caesar on a TV Screen

Second Best

Beautiful Boy

Wicked Games (Chris Isaak cover)

On Your Side

Gjuha

Sinner

Portrait of a Dead Girl

The Feminine Urge

Mirror

Big Dog

My Lady of Mercy

–

The Killer

Nothing Matters