Music Marketing - The Last Dinner Party

The Last Dinner Party are a British band known for their theatrical blend of indie, folk and rock. They formed in 2021 in London and are front by Abigail Morris. They have gained a loyal fanbase, attracting attention for their unique aesthetic, mixing many eras if historical fashion with modern takes. Their lyrics often tackle topics such as the difficulties of womanhood, femininity, religion, personal identity and trauma.

It is interesting to note that The Last Dinner Party have faced accusations of nepotism or being "industry plants" as they opened for The Rolling Stones in 2022 before having any music released on streaming platforms. Additionally, they were signed to a major label before releasing any music beforehand. Contrastingly, you can also note that they write their own songs and have strong individual musical talent.

They are currently signed to Island Records and released their debut single Nothing Matters in 2023.

The video opens with a still shot of the group, as this was their debut single and music video it establishes their image as a collective band. Immediately it is indicated Abigail is the front man of the band, as she takes centre positioning in the shot. Additionally, the second shot is her lip syncing, also revealing she is lead vocalist. The colour grading for these shots are very dull, featuring grey, blue and green hues. Paired with their outfits which are all black and conservative, it suggests they are at a formal gathering such as a funeral. In any case, this is a very unusual setting for a music video however, even more unusual is this is the first impression they are creating, why choose a funeral for your music video debut? The Last Dinner Party have built up a brand since then of being unique, carrying a unusual yet distinct style. This opening shot in the music video acts as a indication, and perhaps warning, that they are confident to swing in unconventional ways to stand out from the crowd.

As the chorus kicks in, the music video changes setting to lead single Abigail in a high angle shot in a bathtub. This is a shot which is used many times within film indicating mental fatigue, insanity or panic. Perhaps this is the band indicating they are inspired by many old artists, relating to their old fashion style and image they have built up. Or perhaps they are commenting that they aren't too dissimilar from other artists and are quite accessible to most audiences, by offering the audience recognisable imagery.

Furthermore, there are many references to the bands name within this music video. Their name, The Last Dinner Party, may be a reference to The Last Supper, which is a logical conclusion as their album later went on to include lots of religious imagery. Furthermore, in this music video there is a scene where the band members attend and host an actual dinner party. As this is their debut music video it may have just been a fun reference to their name, perhaps implying, especially with the adjective "last", there will be no one like them.

In an interesting way to promote their debut album, the band made a short film with the same title.

The concept of making a film to coincide with your album suggests you are a very creative band with many ideas. It also creates the impression they are multi talented. Again, we see the front man and lead singer Abigail take centre spotlight as the only model on the poster in colour. Additionally, she takes up the majority of the post, as if she is the main star in a blockbuster film. She is then surrounded by smaller still shots of her bandmates, in green making them stand out. Interestingly, they are credited a band "The Last Dinner Party" in the biggest font, and then below their names are all credited in alphabetical order rather than the biggest star. This reinforces their image as a collective band rather than a front man and her backing band.