Live Review: Porter Robinson & Madeon, Lido

The anticipation is growing to a tipping point. Hundreds of people shuffle from the line, baking in the 25-degree heat, only to form new lines long enough to almost wrap around the entirety of Hisense Arena. The excitement then rushes into the empty arena space with the wave of exultant and determined fans. The crowd is then warmed up and ready after a raw and explosive performance by Lido, a rapper and producer hailing from Norway. The angst and heartbreak depicted in his latest album, Everything, brings out everyone's inner head-banger.

Aptly so, it's Shelter, the iconic hit by American DJ/producer Porter Robinson & Madeon (a producer and DJ from France) that truly sets the arena alive. While clearly reminiscent of heavy electronic house, the sound they have created for this once-in-a-lifetime collaboration also incorporates an infectious indie-pop element. And not lost in the aesthetic of both Robinson and Madeon is just a hint of grunge rock'n'roll.

This night is well deserving of the hype and energy, but it's a nostalgic night for the two; the pair are concluding their Shelter Live Tour in Melbourne after which they will only perform once more as Porter Robinson & Madeon. "It's been such an era for us," Madeon shares. It's the rarity of this collaboration that is ingrained in the show. The entire set is a collection of mash-ups combining both Robinson and Madeon's unique work. This throws the crowd back and forth on an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows. Mat Zo & Robinson's Easy fades quickly from the drop and the crowd is left suspended for a blissful second, in dead air, before a transcendent mash-up of their hits Sad Machine (Robinson) and You're On (Madeon) rises up. A loaded echo of Robinson's lyrics, supplied by a truly euphoric crowd, sounds across the arena.

But tonight, a time-honoured adage proves once again true: if the lights don't come on, it's not over. An eager crowd chants and pleads for "one more song", for what feels like the longest, most agonising waiting time. Then, finally, the lights come back up to reveal the duo standing behind a keyboard ready to leave us their all with one last acoustic cover of the song that brought them together. Robinson's vocals, haunting and raw as they are, could not break as many hearts as the duo's final goodbye does.