Award-winning singer-songwriter Billie Eilish performed the eighth show of her latest album tour, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, last Friday at Boston’s TD Garden. Having first played the city at age 15, the now 22-year-old artist reflected onstage that her Boston crowds are always “so passionate” and that the city is one of her dearest places to perform.
Having seen Billie five years ago on her WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? tour at the much smaller Leader Bank Pavilion, I found witnessing Billie’s talent again– especially now as a more realized and recognized artist– to be an unforgettable experience. Here are some of my favorite moments and details from the show.
Stage
The HMHAS tour features a simple stage, but that’s not to undermine its design. Ensuring everyone can see the show regardless of their ticket price, Billie sprints across a rectangular screen stage with two lower pockets for her band. She performs in every section of the stage, allowing everyone their special moment and fabulous photo opportunities. In addition, fans can see Billie on wide, rectangular hanging screens with minimal obstruction. Occasionally, she hops on a platform that lifts her up and down, like during her opening song, “CHIHIRO” as well as “THE GREATEST” and “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE”. Having sat in one of the highest and farthest rows back at TD Garden, I can happily say that I was able to fully appreciate the show and take some great videos.
Visuals
Billie Eilish has long been known for her visually stunning concerts. While she’s moved away from the black ink tears and giant tarantulas, she still put a creative spin on the set of every song. One of my favorite sets was for her opening song, “CHIHIRO”, when she spawns on top of a screen cube and sings as moving silhouettes pass by, enhancing the levitative mood of the record. The visuals for “THE DINER” were also noteworthy, with a red wash and scenes of surveillance cameras referencing the 2023 stalking incident that inspired the song. Strobe lights came as a fun surprise, featured during several high-energy tracks including “Guess”, “bad guy”, and “Oxytocin”. And for more somber songs, the audience was enticed with simple colors, like a subtle gold glow for “TV” and a deep blue wash during a piano mashup of some of her oldest tunes.
Vocals
In a recent interview, Billie revealed that only in the past two years has she undergone professional vocal training. Combined with increased maturity due to her age, Billie’s voice has undoubtedly evolved, and HIT ME HARD AND SOFT contains some of her most impressive vocals to date. In my opinion, her live vocals were most awe-inspiring during “THE GREATEST”, a heart-nagging and beltworthy song about an asymmetrical relationship. But, one can’t forget her 2018 song “when the party’s over”, which she has reinvented on this tour by layering her live vocals onstage. This moment has gone viral on TikTok, with Billie having said last Friday “if you’ve seen this on TikTok, then you already know what I’m about to do.” I’m not sure what was more impressive: Billie’s transformative voice, or how the entire arena went silent to hear it.
Eco-Conscious Efforts
As a longtime climate activist, Billie has loudly committed herself to climate-conscious actions for her tours by partnering with the organization REVERB. In a video projected onto the screen ahead of the concert, Billie outlined some of her crew’s efforts, which include eating plant-based meals, turning off vehicles when not in use to reduce carbon emissions, and featuring an “Eco-Village” at every venue for attendees to connect with local climate initiatives. Additionally, at some shows, like Baltimore and Detroit, Billie has encouraged her fans to bring plant-based nonperishable items to help combat food insecurity. She also advocates for people to use public transportation and to bring reusable water bottles to her concerts. Considering Billie Eilish’s massive following, these efforts are commendable and undoubtedly raising significant awareness of the prevalent climate crisis.
All in all, I was once again blown away by Billie Eilish’s concert. I believe that her dedication to her fans’ enjoyment, high-quality performance, and a better planet are evident and make her one of the most impactful artists of our generation.
