With The Last Dinner Party and Picture Parlour, the era of the blockbuster show is back.
Words: Jamie Muir.
Photos: Patrick Gunning.
If there were an award for the venue in London giving off the most buzzy energy, then tonight it would go to EartH in Hackney. As the rain slams down, its downstairs hall serves as a ‘have to be there’ melting pot of two bands blazing a trail. With each show that’s gone by, The Last Dinner Party have taken another step up, and tonight’s mood from the get-go is one of searing ambition as they embrace their undeniable status as one of the most exciting new bands going. Tonight is anticipation personified, not just for this set but for every stunning moment to come.
That expectation sizzles off of Picture Parlour from the first note. Taking bigger stages with ease, it secures the idea that here is a band on their way to glorious cinematic screenings. Much like The Last Dinner Party, the consistent and quick-fire evolution that comes with each gig is there for all to see. Oozing with confidence and swagger, Picture Parlour seize attention and blow people’s socks off, whether it’s with the crooning pull of latest cut ‘Judgement Day’ (just over 24 hours old) or the swinging finale of ‘Norwegian Wood’. Their intentions aren’t just to take part but to take over. Hypnotic Stone Roses-esque breakdowns, wide-eyed flower power hooks and showstopping mountaintop epics all collide for the perfect soundtrack to a modern-life motion picture. With EartH already crammed full, this isn’t just your average support slot – this is Picture Parlour sizing up the headline slots to come.
Transfixed would be an understatement for how EartH feels from the moment The Last Dinner Party take the stage, and the result is yet another elevation into the theatrical and star-studded tapestry they’re painting their masterpiece on. Less than a few months since releasing their debut single after months of intrigue, they stand as a force eager to grab each moment. Acknowledging how special playing tonight’s show is, with the band coming up with the name The Last Dinner Party down the road at the famed Shacklewell Arms, they surge through a triumphant masterclass of hits. ‘Sinner’ is sung back louder than any night so far on the tour (their words, not ours, okay?), while recent cut ‘My Lady Of Mercy’ may just capture everything brilliant about The Last Dinner Party in one fell swoop. A grandstand show? Yes. Bursting with the sort of playful energy that you can only throw yourself into? Yes. Ready to tear down the walls at a moment’s notice? Yes.
Tracks jump from soaring ballads – including particular standout ‘Beautiful Boy’ – to bubbling pop-soaked hits to rapturous twists and turns; tonight feels like the moment when The Last Dinner Party evolve into a whole other level of band. A spinning ‘Nothing Matters’ ends a night where ambition isn’t just about a dream but a way of life. With The Last Dinner Party and Picture Parlour, the era of the blockbuster show is back, and we’re all getting front-row seats.
