The Last Dinner Party: My Lady of Mercy

“With a momentous magnitude and a siren sound it is no wonder The Last Dinner Party have reached such heights.”

The Last Dinner Party – Photo: Cal McIntyre

Feminine rage, feminine love, the mercy it means to be a woman. Chew on us and we will be thankful for the touch, passive to it’s pain. We are expected to endure, our lives an eternal endeavour. Constrained by societal expectations, we are bound to maintain a facade of indifference, as if ‘Nothing Matters’. Yet, deep within our souls, the anger simmers, the fire of resilience burns, combating the persisting notion the prehistoric. This palpable sensation resonates profoundly in the latest offering from the musical ensemble The Last Dinner Party, aptly titled song ‘ My Lady of Mercy’.

Like a composition from the renaissance, the music brims with grandiosity and intricacies. Each note dances and weaves together, painting an evocative portrait of the multifaceted feminine experience. In its graceful melodies and elegantly crafted lyrics, we find solace and validation for the emotions that stir within us. Indeed, the duality of feminine existence is a truth woven intricately into the fabric of this masterpiece. It encapsulates the essence of our longing, our battles, and ultimately, our triumphs amidst a world that often seeks to diminish our power.

The Last Dinner Party

Made up of Aurora Nishevci, Georgia Davies, Lizzie Mayland ,Emily Roberts, and Abigail Morris, the girls met during Freshers’ week at university and started to host gigs in South London. This lead to their discovery after a video of them performing was uploaded and a cascade of record artists got in touch asking to represent them.

Inspired by the saints and martyrs of yesteryear, the women in paint on golden plaques held high, Anne Boleyn, Mother Mary, the woman with a broken toe and a distant gaze on the bus, your best friends mother and your co-workers sister. We are surrounded by a mosaic of muses. This is an unconventional love song, unfettered from expectations here love flows freely, you love these women for who they are not how they make you feel, to love is to toe the line between being selfless and selfish and this song is is a testament to this.

The Last Dinner Party – My Lady of Mercy

We have unbridled passion for people we have a bustling sense of self and we should be merciful with who we are and how we want to be . Mercy does not always mean to be soft it means to be powerful in your approach and compassionate in your delivery.  An orchestral Boudoir, The Last Dinner Party execute their songs in an ethereal way that exude gothic romanticism, leaving you entranced, euphoric but also melancholic – a sense of wanting to be a part of it, this choir of rebellion, rage and authenticity.

Despite is soft, soothing start with an enticing build up this song becomes quite a merciless sound it’s ruthless guitar and propulsive dream a tempest on the stage. My Lady Of Mercy is a piercing piece of poetry. The power, the prowess the poignancy of the premise, the alluring twang of the guitar in the penultimate verse, this song is succulent like a ripened peach plucked from a tree but beautifully bitter like a cranberry. It is ethereal and energetic ,sacred and profound, it is the sound of someone regaining control of their own narrative.

Nothing matters- The Last Dinner Party

With a momentous magnitude and a siren sound it is no wonder The Last Dinner Party have reached such heights. Despite only releasing their debut single, the hedonistic and harmonious “Nothing Matters” earlier this year in April the quintet have already had a major U.S Tour and with their debut studio album, a ‘Prelude to Ecstasy’ set to release January 2024, this storm is making the world their stage.

“‘My Lady of Mercy’ is about being a girl,” the band explained. “A girl looking up at a painting of Joan of Arc for the first time and thinking that she looks so brave and so beautiful that she wants to kiss her. And maybe she also wants to kiss the girl who stands next to her in the school choir.

For me, the song is about being brutal, showing the blood and the guts it takes to create a smiling face. It is a bit tears and laughter, choking on spit throwing fights just to get hit, its about feeling it all in order to feel alive. It is the rain and the thunder tearing your home asunder. It is about, getting hurt and hurting, healing and forgiving and doing it all wrong when you’re trying to do it right, Ultimately, it is a celebration of our shared humanity.

When I think of the Last Dinner party I think of Ophelia  immortalised by John Stuart Mills, of Catherine The Great, Kristen Dunst as Marie Antoinette and the remarkable  Mia goth in X. I imagine stories full of poisoned love letters, lipstick on tongues and smeared on fingertips, people wearing each others messes and mending them into masterpieces. Seeing the all female quintet live was like being invited to a party you never meet the host of, you leave fulfilled but later on discover a gaping ache burning in your insides, the longing to be a part of something as powerful as them, which is why we are all invited to their’ Last Dinner Party.

Tickets for their upcoming UK tour are available here.

Meet Slaney Bay with their electric new release “EST”.

How far would you go for love?

Slaney Bay taken by Rory Dunn

Every 90s and 2000s kids have had daydreams where they’re sprinting through the bustling corridors of an airport, desperately trying to convince our first crush to stay. It’s a scene straight out of a romantic movie, where love triumphs against all odds, its a Rachel moment, we are all hoping that they too will get off the plane. Confessing your feelings to someone can be likened to catching a flight – the anticipation, the fear of delay, and the exhilaration of finally taking that leap of faith.

EST by Slaney Bay

Released on the 4th of July, EST is fuelled by the exhilaration of a now or never moment. Have you ever wondered if you missed your chance? Is your love powerful enough to stop the plane? You want to scream ‘just stay with me, I’ll show you what we can be’. Sometimes, we unknowingly become the anchor that holds someone back. Perhaps, by letting go, we can find a way to save both ourselves and our loved ones.

Frontwoman Cait Whitley revealed: “‘EST’ tells the tale of a love interest moving away. The whole song is imagined to take place inside an airport. You’re trying to psych yourself up to convince them to stay…but their boarding time is suffocatingly close. Is this your final chance to confess your feelings before they move to the Eastern Time Zone?”

It’s not gonna change, right? When you’re sleeping on Eastern Time

I haven’t been laughing recently

I think you’re all I need

Lyrics to EST

EST Music video directed by Zachary Hart and Produced by Jane Christie July 2023

With its transportive melodies and anthemic energy, this track takes you on a journey. As the soaring vocals intertwine with the instrumentals, you can almost feel yourself flying alongside that plane, bound for the island of possibilities. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and contemplation, as if we are briefly visiting the island of what if’s after a short stay at what might have been city. Whitley’s captivating vocals add an extra layer of emotion, painting a vivid picture of the bittersweet curse of what could have been.

Distance, going that extra mile, waiting for just a short while,  the unwavering commitment to go that extra mile,  lengths we go to just to witness a loved one’s radiant smile.And what is love? But not just time spent with hose who make us smile, who make us cry who make us want to see the next day. Love is perseverance, it will go on despite the distance.

Hailing from an incredible few months on the festival circuit, the dynamic trio has been making waves with their electrifying performances. Their standout shows at The Great Escape, Gold Sounds, and Dot To Dot have garnered widespread acclaim, establishing them as rising stars in the indie music scene. Adding to their growing reputation, they recently wrapped up a successful support tour alongside the esteemed Coach Party, following previous collaborations with the likes of Sinead O’Brien, Bleach Lab, and Low Hummer. With their undeniable stage presence and extraordinary talent, this band is undoubtedly poised for an exciting future in the industry.

Keep up to date with the band by following their socials and check them out on Spotify.

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