Porter Robinson’s long-awaited return to the Australian stage, after approximately six years, was nothing short of electrifying and cinematic. The performance took place at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena, setting the stage for an unforgettable evening.
The night kicked off with a high-energy and moody trance set from jamesjamesjames, accompanied by Tokyo Drift in Odaiba videos on the screen behind him. Keeping the audience entertained as the arena gradually filled up.
Following a brief intermission that allowed the atmosphere to settle, the stage came alive with captivating visuals. Porter took center stage, treating the audience to a live piano medley of ‘Lifelike’ seamlessly transitioning into ‘Something Comforting.’ This marked the start of the Nurture Live show.
Over the course of two hours, Porter guided the audience on an immersive, multi-instrumental journey. His versatility was on full display as he seamlessly shifted between singing, using keyboard synths, playing the piano, and even strumming an acoustic guitar. Enhancing the live experience was the mesmerising lighting design, meticulously synchronised with the audio and visuals, further immersing the audience in the performance.
Porter skilfully traversed the ‘Nurture’ album, presenting special live renditions of songs like ‘Mirror,’ which carried comforting and inspirational messages that harmonised with the chords. Interspersed between these tracks, Porter treated the audience to selections from ‘Worlds,’ including ‘Divinity,’ ‘Sad Machine,’ and ‘Flicker.’ Notably, the show featured acoustic versions of some songs, with Porter playing the piano for ‘Wind Tempos’ and later switching to an acoustic guitar for ‘Everything Goes On.’ Porter received multiple encores, concluding on an nostalgic note with Madeon team up ‘Shelter.’
During the show, Porter shared that the Melbourne performance marked the second-to-last stop of the Nurture tour, symbolising the end of a remarkable era.