The Last Dinner Party | The Riverside Theater | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 3rd, 2026
Photographed by Anna Oleniczak
An iconic all-female band, The Last Dinner Party have made a momentous return to Milwaukee on their From the Pyre Tour. There is an energy that settles over a venue when a band has a true connection with their audience like The Last Dinner Party does; it’s joyous to see. At the Riverside Theater, that energy felt almost overpowering when hearing their music live. Emotionally, it was something the recordings couldn’t capture.
This band has built a reputation for theatrics — nothing can quite prepare you for seeing it in person. Every move, note and lyric felt intentional.
Comprised of five members, The Last Dinner Party is of Abigail Morris (vocals, guitar), Lizzie Mayland (guitar, vocals), Georgia Davies (bass), Emily Roberts (guitar, flute) and Aurora Nishevci (keyboards). The show before the Milwaukee date, Davies unfortunately suffered an injury and will have to sit out the rest of tour. Luckily, The Last Dinner Party found themselves a talented musician out of Max Lilley to hold down the bass notes in the meantime.
Frontwoman Morris is electric on stage; her dance moves, costumes and aura demand attention from the jump. As she crossed the stage from left to right, she reached her gaze out to those sat in the balcony seats who rejoiced at the connection established. Fans sat together smiling at each other, embracing the moment. With every graceful movement from Morris on stage, the audience and herself grew closer together. Her artistry, along with those of her fellow band members, is that of legends.
Part of what makes The Last Dinner Party so compelling is how their music feels in a live setting. Combining rage and feminine power into just the first few songs of their set with “The Feminine Urge.” At the end of this song, Morris toppled to the top of the set design, up a flight of steps and dramatically fell on top of a mattress and quilt, screaming out the end of the song with the audience. The crowd was lit up, some on the verge of tears, as the band played this one. It was refreshing to see people of all ages involved in this show, too, from young to old. There is truly a song and a place for everyone.
One of the night’s most memorable moments came from when they began talking about the band’s drunken journey to Wisconsin’s famously eccentric Mars Cheese Castle. Morris told this story with such eloquence and suspense; a masterful storyteller. She included how the band arrived at the castle bright and early, and drunkenly, to experience all it had to offer (a glorified cheese shop).
Halfway through the show, the set slowed down for a standout track, “Rifle.” Undoubtedly, their most powerful song, Maryland took the mic and brought the crowd to a hush as her voice and slow synths filled the room. She also wrote the lyrics for this one, as she said in an Apple Music Interview with Georgia Davies about the the genocide in Palestine, wars across countries and lots of anger. The choruses and verses of “Rifle” contrast each other, giving a real interesting harmony and a bit of french singing. This track is so quintessentially TLDP; what more could we ask for?
In combination with their British wit and over-the-top stage presence, their costume design was impeccable, fitted with vintage, modern renaissance pieces. Lace and puffed sleeves mixed with high-cut body suits is representative of their music; it has an old-timey quality mixed with a modern day maturity.
To be honest, this group doesn’t absolutely fit into one specific genre or category. Their undefinable and timeless music that their fans will love for many years to come. Now, what’s next for them?
Their return from Milwaukee included a venue upgrade, from Turner Hall to The Riverside Theater, moving up from the 1,000 capacity venue to 2,500. On April 13, it was announced that The Last Dinner Party will be opening for Sombr on his next tour across America, playing just down the road at Fiserv Forum. From halls to arenas!
Keep up with The Last Dinner Party
Website / Spotify / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube
