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The Last Dinner Party addresses the security incident at the Lincoln Engine Shed gig

The Last Dinner Party has issued a statement after reports circulated on social media about the behavior of security staff at their canceled gig in Lincoln this weekend.

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The band were due to play at The Engine Shed in Lincoln on Saturday (September 28), but the show was canceled shortly before they took to the stage because a band member fell ill. Their show in Cardiff the following evening (September 29) was also postponed.

However, before the show's cancellation, numerous men complained on social media that when they attempted to enter the venue, they were questioned extensively about their knowledge of the band by The Engine Shed staff.

“I just arrived at the gig, was escorted into a dark corner with other men, was told I might be a pervert because I was alone, and then I was taken alone with a security guard into a room where I was interrogated and was searched. Feeling sick,” one man claimed on X/Twitter, later adding that he had also been asked by the band what his favorite song was.

The Engine Shed responded to the reports on Sunday (September 29), saying a change in security measures was implemented “after information was provided to our security team about incidents at previous The Last Dinner Party performances”. The venue apologized to those affected and said they had conducted an independent investigation into the incident.

In a statement, they wrote: “As an urgent measure, we will also undertake further staff training on our door access policy to ensure this cannot happen again.” They also encourage anyone who feels they have been discriminated against to come forward.

Now The Last Dinner Party has addressed the situation. In a statement shared on Twitter/X, they wrote: “We have been made aware of some safety guidelines implemented at our show in Lincoln on Saturday which understandably made many of our fans feel uncomfortable and disrespected.”

“We want to be clear that these policies have been established and enforced by the venue at its sole discretion and not in consultation with us. They do not reflect our beliefs and would not have been implemented if we had been informed about them beforehand.

They continued, “Our shows are intended to be safe and welcoming spaces for everyone, which is something we care deeply about.” Seeing our fan base embrace inclusivity is one of the most beautiful parts of performing live. The venue has since apologized and assured us that measures will be taken to prevent this from happening again at future shows.”

The band insisted that everyone was “welcome and encouraged” to attend their shows. “We are appalled and disappointed that anyone was made to feel otherwise. We welcome the investigation and further training of The Engine Shed staff to ensure this does not happen again,” they wrote.

The band also apologized for the last-minute cancellation due to a “sudden, unforeseeable illness within the band” and concluded the statement with: “Thank you again for all your support. It means more than you will ever know.”

Last Dinner Party's sold-out UK and Ireland headline tour continues on Tuesday (October 1) in Birmingham. The tour is in support of their 2024 Mercury Prize-nominated debut album “Prelude To Ecstasy”.

Additionally, the band recently spoke to her NME at the Mercury Prize 2024 and recalled how they managed to build a “sense of community” with their fans.

Bassist Georgia Davies and guitarist Emily Roberts met on the event's red carpet NMEand explained what it was like to see her first record resonate so much with fans.

“A lot of people seem to identify with the themes of the album,” said Davies when asked what they were most proud of. “There are children who were excluded at school because of their sexuality or the way they presented themselves [themselves] with their looks or the music they liked. They now feel like they have found a sense of community in us.”

“It's always a very nice and very moving experience when people tell you about it [that]” she added. “It’s very emotional.”

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