The Last Dinner Party at BST Hyde Park in London review: Dazzling and dramatic flair
"London’s indie-pop quintet captivates with flamboyance and humour before Olivia Rodrigo’s headline set," writes Attitude's Ashley Davey
By Ashley Davey
The Last Dinner Party took to the Great Oak Stage last Friday (27 June 2025) at BST Hyde Park as the penultimate act to perform before Olivia Rodrigo, and they made the moment their own. As someone who is relatively unfamiliar with the London quintet, I truly enjoyed their unique indie-pop rock and was instantly inspired to get more acquainted with the band’s music.
The setlist varied in musical style, each with rich vocal harmonies, fancy guitar flourishes, and all wrapped in a dramatic flair. I was instantly sensing a combination of Kate Bush and David Bowie influences, with the more contemporary flamboyance of artists like Chappell Roan.
What was really refreshing about the performance was their floaty physical expression while performing. Their movements were far from choreographed, instead embracing an innate, flowing energy – I truly saw several women on stage who view performing as something to take enjoyment from, and it was infectious to watch them find humour amongst themselves as they made their way through their set. Between songs, the banter and playful interactions from Abigail Morris only added to their charm – you could feel how much fun they were having.
It’s not easy to make such a large stage feel personal, but intimate moments, such as Lizzie Mayland shouting out to her grandad – as it was the first time he had seen her perform – really connected the band to the audience.
For their final song, ‘Nothing Matters’, the audience joined them in theatrical, carefree dancing, clearly inspired by the band’s infectious energy. Watching the couples in the audience dance romantically in the summer sunset to this last song is a memory I will treasure from my first summer in London. BST Hyde Park was my short introduction to The Last Dinner Party and now… I am craving seconds. (The Last Dinner… craving seconds… Get it?!) And judging by the audience reception, I’m not the only one late to this particular party and hungry for more.