What We Learnt At Lorde's Gig Last Night: Australia Is In For A Fucking Treat This November

As we shuffle into Cockatoo Island's unique warehouse space for the exclusive Nova's Red Room gig, it's safe to assume all 1,200 of us are in agreement — this is an insane venue for really any live show and the fact that Lorde will be hitting the stage tonight makes it all the more worthwhile. 

After about 30 minutes of admiring the cathedral-sized hall, the lights go down and the band take their positions on stage.

Following a short intro, the New Zealand pop star makes her way onto the stage to thunderous applause in a shimmery purple jumpsuit and white Adidas sneakers and breaks straight into Homemade Dynamite from her new LP, Melodrama. 

From the get-go, it's very clear it doesn't matter if its Coachella, Glastonbury, Saturday Night Live or a giant warehouse; Lorde is gonna dance and she's gonna dance like nobody is watching. 

Her dancing has recently been compared to that of the famous Elaine Benes moves from Seinfeld and while admittedly it's a fair point, it's actually kinda charming. She is having a ball up there.

There's no slowing down either, as she rips into her Disclosure collab, Magnets, followed by Ribs off her 2013 debut album, Pure Heroine.

On paper, it can be tough to believe that a 20-year-old already has two critically-acclaimed records under her name, as well as two Grammy Awards. But watching Lorde live, who is only backed by three musicians (electric drums, synth and keyboards), it makes complete sense. She owns the stage and audience with such ease, always with a grin on her face. 

Lorde also shows she hasn't forgotten her roots either, telling us we "look so bloody lovely" and that even though she's been touring Europe the last few weeks, "it's not weird little New Zealand and Australia" which of course, gets a big pop. 

The set is predictably dominated by tracks from Melodrama, including Sober, Perfect Places, Supercut and a very intimate performance of Liability (cue the lighters and mobile phones in the air), but there's of course room for fan-favourite hits, Royals and Team.

The set is capped off with Melodrama's lead single, Green Light, which the crowd arguably loses its shit for the most on the night. 

After departing at just over 50 minutes on stage, the inevitable "encore" chants bring Lorde out one more time, this time without her band members. What will she perform? The Louvre? Maybe Tennis Court? Maybe even The Hunger Games lead single, Yellow Flicker Beat?

Nope. Instead, Lorde sings a stunning acapella version of Writer In The Dark. Admittedly an odd way to end the show given how hyped up everybody was after Green Light, but you can't really be angry listening to those vocals. 

So raw was the performance that she often stepped away from the microphone to sing while also gesturing for the crowd to stop screaming back at her. 

And just like that, with one last smirk to the audience, Lorde leaves the stage for the final time.

If there's one thing we have taken away from tonight's epic performance, it's that Australia is in for a fucking treat when Lorde returns in November for her national tour.