In a spectacle of live electronic performance, Porter Robinson and Madeon rocked the Pavilion at Pan Am in Indianapolis on Wednesday, November 9th, with help from Danger and Robotaki.
Robotaki opened with a mix that was funky and tinged with pop music, such as remixes of Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger" and "Doin' it Right". You can listen to Robotaki's single "Ghostboy" here, which features vocals from Claire Ridgely. Robotaki's performance was enhanced by giant images of his emblem, which you can check out in the photo gallery below.
Next up was Danger, delivering a mix of electronic music that was hard, dark, and sometimes cinematic. Not much can be found about Danger, who keeps a veil of secrecy both online and in person, wearing a black mask with white lights for eyes. The visuals for the performance depicted animated represenations of Danger with glowing drumstick-like objects.
Following Danger's performance was a pause while parts of the setup were removed, and suspense was built until Porter Robinson and Madeon walked on stage. Opening the show with their new single "Shelter", we got to hear Madeon sing live along with both performing on setups that included keyboards and crash cymbals. One of many unique and interesting aspects of this show was the combination of songs by both artists, with elements of certain songs accompanied to others (such as the melody from Madeon's "Technicolor" played in a different key to match another song). Madeon's "Pay No Mind" (which features Passion Pit) and "OK" along with Porter Robinson's "Sad Machine" were just a few of the songs that were played. We even heard a rendition of Madeon's iconic "Pop Culture" mashup.
The visuals and lighting stood on their own, with colorful landscapes, pixellated textures, and even a quick visual of Rin from the "Shelter" animation (which you should watch if you haven't yet). At a couple points throughout the conclusion of the show, cannons shot bursts of thin white slips of paper in the air that gradually descended onto the audience.
I was able to meet Madeon and Porter Robinson after the show. One question that I presented to Madeon had to do with his debut album, Adventure; the first three tracks (Isometric, You're On, and OK) are a continuous mix. Madeon explained that he wanted to get a "flow", liked how it was continuous, and also drew a parallel with a live show. He did mention, additionally, that we probably won't see this from him next time.
Porter Robinson got into electronic music through Konami's Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) video game; when I asked who his favorite DDR artist is, he almost immediately answered with dj TAKA, but also mentioned a lesser-known artist named RAM who has tracks that are three letters long. I also brought up this tweet which, due to my involvement with internet forums, I could relate to; "I'm glad that resonated with you", Porter said, mentioning that it might not be very relatable to most people and noting the experience of going back to an abandoned forum.
You can check out the Shelter Tour website for more tour dates. Additionally, listen to "Worlds", "Adventure", and "Shelter" to experience Porter Robinson and Madeon's unique, dreamy, and all-around wonderful music.
Listen to "Shelter" by Porter Robinson and Madeon
Stream "Worlds" by Porter Robinson on Spotify
Stream "Adventure" by Madeon on Spotify
Follow @madeon
Follow @porterrobinson
Follow @2emedanger
Follow @Robotaki
Photos by Joey Miller and Michael McReynolds
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