The Last Dinner Party :: Florence Road
April 3, 2026
Riverside Theater, Milwaukee WI
Shot & Written by Kelsie Barlow
April 3rd 2026, music lovers came from all over in their Renaissance best for an epic showcasing of live music from The Last Dinner Party and Florence Road. Excitement mounted as fans entered Milwaukeeβs iconic Riverside Theater, seeing the gorgeous stage set up that includes arches and a wall of glistening satiny fabric. I spoke to a couple of fans before the start of the show who had traveled from the Wisconsin-Illinois border, and they expressed how long they had been looking forward to this and how glad they were to have the VIP fan experience.
Florence Road, hailing from Ireland, took the stage first. Many in the crowd seemed to already be fans of Florence Road, and they lit up the stage when they took it. I was first exposed to Florence Road through TikTok, where they made videos of themselves playing covers of popular songs in a basement, and were filmed from the .5 phone camera angle. Florence Road includes members Lily Aron, Emma Brandon, Ailbhe Barry, and Hannah Kelly. Lead singer and guitarist Lily Aron has a commanding voice and a magnetic energy that draws in the audience from the first note. Her range is impressive, unique, and Aron is a vocal force to be reckoned with. They played songs from their discography, such as βHeavyβand βGoodnightβ. Florence Road released a new EP last Friday and also played some songs off of that. This was the band's first time in Milwaukee, and I certainly hope it wonβt be their last.
The crowd goes wild at last as the lights dim, and The Last Dinner Party takes the stage next. They started the set with βAgnus Deiβ, and the energy in the room was explosive. Front woman, Abigail Morris, has an infectious stage presence and plays to the crowd with genuine interaction and an unmatched confidence. The band continued the set with more hits, including βThe Feminine Urgeβ and βOn Your Sideβ. While Abigail introduces the band members, we find out that Georgia Davies (bass) is out due to an injury, and Max Lilley is currently filling in while she recovers. Other band members include Lizzie Mayland (vocals/ guitar), Emily Roberts (lead guitar/ mandolin, flute), and Aurora Nishevci (keyboards, vocals). I was wowed from the moment The Last Dinner Party took the stage. All of their song have a grandiose feel instrumentally, and the progressive beats kept me dancing all night long. The band also showcased their vocal talent throughout all members with their amazing harmonies. I was especially wowed by the vocal intricacies when they played βRifleβ. During a pause in the set, the band took a moment to get a venue-wide round of applause going for Florence Road and their performance. Abigail even remarked that Florence Road is saving rock and roll, and I thought that was a really special moment.
The Last Dinner Party not only played an amazing live show, but they also connected with the crowd in some fun and down to earth ways. The Last Dinner Party last appeared in Wisconsin about two years ago at Turner Hall, and while they were sharing that, an audience member presented a gift to Abigail. It was a dagger that looked like it was made of cheese. When Abigail asked where the fan obtained this they answered with ββ¦the Green Bay Packers storeβ, which got resounding approval from the audience. It was humorous when Morris didnβt know what that was, and when she figured out it was a sports team, she tried to figure out if it was one that we liked or not. Abigail then told a story that stuck with me as a born and raised Wisconsinite. Their first time driving through the Midwest, before they were ever booked to play in Wisconsin, they were looking at nothing but plains and gas stations out of the bus window, when all of a sudden they saw something unexpected. A castle emerged from the fog with a giant sign reading βMars Cheese Castleβ. Any Wisconsin native is familiar with this establishment, but for someone who has never been here, I can imagine it to be something that causes shock and confusion. The next time they came to our state, they made it a point to visit Mars Cheese Castle (while intoxicated), and indulge on Bloody Maryβs and Cheese Curds before their show. I myself and many other audience members were tickled by this story as lots of us drive past this business on a regular basis and donβt think twice about it.
The Last Dinner Party also showed their true colors as caring people by sharing something theyβve been doing for awhile and will continue to do. The band brought βRibbons for Provisionsβ to this tour, and the mission is so important. Every tour, the band partners with a different charity, and this tour theyβve partnered with Why Hunger. If you buy a ribbon, the money you donate will go to a food bank local to the stop theyβve made on the tour, so any ribbons bought in Milwaukee, will benefit Milwaukee food banks. Abigail expressed that itβs great to play a rock show every night, but itβs a greater privilege to give back to the communities they come to. The show continued as they played songs like βWoman is a Treeβ, βThe Scytheβ, βMy Lady Of Mercyβ, and βInfernoβ. Towards the end of the set the band said they have a present for us. Abigail asked us, ββ¦why not write more music? Why not play said music live?β This prompted the band to play a new unreleased song, and it was nothing short of amazing. They wrapped up their main set by playing their hit song βNothing Mattersβ, and officially closed out the night with an encore of βThis is the Killer Speakingβ and βAgnus Dei (reprise)β.
The Last Dinner Party hits all the points of what I want in a band. They have a statement making aesthetic, make bold choices with their sound, have a great mission, and utilize a wide range of instruments including flute, mandolin, and keytar. The βFrom The Pyreβ tour has just begun, and if you havenβt gotten your tickets yet, then I highly recommend that you do, as this is a performance of epic proportions, and one that fans will not want to miss.