It feels very easy in the modern age to furrow your brow at any artist that gets really popular really quick, especially if it isn’t necessarily the kind of music you typically listen to, but after seeing The Last Dinner Party live we can confirm they’ve earned every bit of their success.
They’re not an industry plant, they’re just dead good.
Now, we accept that isn’t exactly top-tier analysis or music journalism from the off, but we’re hoping that this review of their recent Manchester gig at Victoria Warehouse and our sincere recommendation that you go and see The Last Dinner Party live for yourself will be all the vouching you need.
We were sadly too late into the gig to catch the first warm-up act, Lucia and the Best Boys, but we did arrive in time to hear the applause as they left the stage and have been to enough concerts to know when a support act has genuinely surprised and/or impressed uninitiated listeners.
Having gone away and listened to them in our own time, we can see why they were chosen by the TLDP. There’s a familiar level of melodrama and that almost Victorian aesthetic to frontwoman Lucia Fairfull’s presence, style and floaty vocals, even if the whole band’s vibe isn’t exactly the same.
The Scottish outfit is arguably the more outright indie of the two, but when you combine them with the second support act and even more ethereal-sounding Kateo – who really did impress us not only with her performance and stage presence but her sheer range too – that alternative feeling comes through.
Between the two of them, it felt like the pair had been hand-picked by the headliners as genuine fans to cultivate a concert that also feels cohesive from start to finish, championing talented and aspiring artists who are trying to carve their own space not just within similar spaces but between genres.
This may not seem so uncommon but given how big the BRIT Award-winners have already gotten over the last year or so, they could have chosen more established or even regional acts for individual UK dates to win over audiences – but they didn’t. Make that anti-industry plant theory example number one.
And then we come to the matter of the 2024 Rising Stars themselves, who are clearly thriving and on top of the world but putting real effort into their live set beyond just playing the songs well.
For instance, we didn’t quite realise just how many impressive singers there are in The Last Dinner Party until we saw them take to that iconic Manchester stage and get truly rapturous applause as multiple band members took the spotlight for their own individual heroine moments.
Be it Lizzie’s cover of‘Up North’ by fellow Halifax native Catherine Howe, Aurora’s haunting Albanian ballad or even just Emily’s genuinely shredding guitar solos, it was a reminder of just how versatile and multi-talented each of these lot are.
Don’t get us wrong, lead singer Abigail has all the charisma and style to knit them together in such a way that has no doubt helped make them such an instant hit, but they were full of surprises too.
The pseudo-medieval fantasy set, the orchestral entrance that is ‘Prelude to Ecstasy; the lighting, use of the stage and genuine rock-show moments (yes, they can thrash when they want to) – it was in seeing them in the flesh that we realised why so many have fallen in love with their music so hard and so fast.
The Last Dinner Party were buzzing to be back in Manchester (Credit: The Manc Group)
Last but not least, following a week in which the five-piece have come under criticism not only for cancelling gigs last minute but due to men even being asked to leave the shows after they were quizzed on why they were there and how long they’d be following the band, it was refreshing to see that the climate of their crowd was nothing like it has been made out to be in some reports.
Moreover, as a single male attending the gig, I can confirm we experienced nothing of the sort from security at Victoria Warehouse, and the room was as welcoming and carefree as you could hope for – not to mention all the tour tickets purchased have helped raise over £14k for food banks.
Perhaps there is an element of latent, underlying or covert sexism behind why some people have decided to take issue with the band whose members have various roots in good Catholic schools and have been accused of being ‘nepo babies’, but the plain truth is they’re just bloody good at what they do.
Creating a conspiracy around why a group of young women have become successful isn’t edgy, incisive or even an interesting theory – it’s embarrassing. Move on and just enjoy the music.
‘Sinner’, ‘My Lady of Mercy’, ‘Nothing Matters’ and a few clever covers were the highlights. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Beloved British boy band Five are BACK in FULL for the first time in 25 years
Danny Jones
No, your eyes don’t deceive you: all five members of the beloved British boy band Five are set to reunite for the first time in a quarter of a century.
Formed way back in 1997 and dominating the charts throughout the period in and around the millennium, the iconic pop group was the UK’s answer to the Backstreet Boys and NSNYC, as well as a much-needed replacement for Take That just after their split.
And they did exactly that for a number of years, with hit tracks like ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘Keep On Movin”, ‘Everybody Get Up’, ‘If Ya Gettin’ Down’ and more still firmly stuck in our memories.
It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, we still remember all the words and the dance moves to go along with them – and we’ll be able to prove it when the Five UK reunion tour comes to Manchester.
Although the London-formed group has reformed every now and again in different configurations over the years for special occasions, anniversary events, etc., this is the first time that the original lineup has been together for 25 whole years.
That’s right, Abz Love, J Brown, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon will all be reuniting on stage for a limited UK arena tour – because anything less simply wouldn’t be enough to mark this throwback celebration.
More importantly, if you don’t think every single one of these massive rooms is going to sell out in a flash, then you clearly can’t count to five.
As for the Manchester crowd, fans will be welcomed inside the equally legendary AO Arena for the ‘KEEP ON MOVIN’ 2025’ Tour later this year and we can’t wait.
Fellow domestic DJ and producer Naughty Boy will also be joining them as the main support act. We’re rolling back all the memories this autumn.
You can see the rest of the tour dates below, including equally massive shows at The O2 in London, the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, a First Direct Arena date in Leeds and more.
We really can't wait to get back on stage together and see you all in person, it's gonna go OFF!! Let's goooooo! International fans, make sure to sign up there so we know where in the world you are too 👀
Scott says: “This has been a long time coming and it really does feel right for all of us now – 25 years on and we’re so ready for it. Reconnecting as a 5 over the last year has been special and I know I speak for all the boys when I say we can’t wait to do this all over again. Hope you’re ready!”
Another fifth of the throwback boy band, Abz, added: “We really can’t wait to get back on stage together & see the fans, it’s gonna go OFF! Buzzing to have Naughty Boy on tour with us too… 5 bad boys and a naughty boy, that sounds like a lot of fun. Let’s gooooo!”
General admission for Five’s 2025 UK reunion tour goes live on Friday, 7 March from 10am but die-hards can access the exclusive pre-sale window on Wednesday, 5 March by signing up for the mailing list.
2000s indie rock icons The Enemy continue comeback trail with must-not-miss UK tour
Danny Jones
For fans of old-school indie and noughties contemporary rock, you do not want to miss the one because The Enemy are not just back making music but they’re heading out on a pretty big UK tour and, of course, they’ll be stopping right here in Manchester.
The Enemy first reformed back in 2022 for a limited run of shows, but it turns out the Coventry-formed trio were satisfied with a one-off reunion and a fifth studio album officially being worked on, the fierce Brit rock throwbacks have announced a series of pretty large UK tour dates.
Following on from some hugely successful comeback performances at TRNSMT, Isle Of Wightand a headline slot at Godiva Festival 2023, not to mention the instantly hit ‘Indie Til I Die’ shows last year – including an absolute stormer at Victoria Warehouse – they returning for more.
One of the few bands to make their way back to the live music circuit fully intact, with all three members still performing together, nothing has changed other than a few more grey hairs.
If you weren’t there at the outset, The Enemy’s debut LP We’ll Live And Die In These Towns (2007) was one of the most seminal domestic releases of its time, with songs like ‘You’re Not Alone’ going on to become indie anthems of the era.
To be honest, we’d argue their sophomore outing Music For The People just two years later is the better album, with tracks such as ‘Be Somebody’, ‘Elephant Song’ and ‘No Time for Tears’ still in plenty of our playlists to this day – but, you know, each to their own.
The point is, we’re very glad these lads are back and having played with everyone from Oasis and The Killers to even The Rolling Stones, we’d wager lots of other music lovers are too.
Set to play New Century Hall in Manchester as well as the legendary Leadmill in Sheffield, Beckett Students’ Union in Leeds, Rock City in Nottingham and more, it’s going to be a big tour.
We're absolutely buzzing to be back on tour & in some of our all time favourite venues.
We'll be trying out new material for the first time in years ahead of the new album we're making, we're all really excited to try some new tunes and see what you think whilst we finish it!
Frontman Tom Clarke, who has put out two solo records of his own in past years, said of the announcement: “We’ve been working long days in the studio recording new material, so we’re really excited to get out on the road again.
“The plan is to experiment with some of the new tunes, maybe different ones on different shows to see how the crowds react and which ones connect with fans, and let that guide the track listing on the record which is nearing completion.”
Co-songwriter and bass player, Andy Hopkins, added: talking about the upcoming tour: “My favourite part of being in a band is having those nights with the fans where the atmosphere is electric – I think this tour is going to be really special for the 3 of us.
“It’ll be the first time we’ve been back to some of these cities in a long time, in venues we absolutely love and have been really important to us on the way up – Electric Ballroom was the first venue we ever played in London supporting The Fratellis, I drove us there with all the amps & guitars in my Fiesta!”
The Enemy come to New Century, one of our favourite live music venues in all of Greater Manchester, on Saturday, 1 November.
Pre-sale has already been snapped up in the blink of an eye, which is no surprise whatsoever, but general admission will go live from 10am this Friday, 28 February.
Danny Jones -
12th October 2024 
