On both Nov. 10 and Nov. 11, The Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul saw great excitement as world-renowned artist Billie Eilish came to perform for two sold-out shows. The opening act, Towa Bird, brought lots of energy to the stage while fans eagerly awaited Billie Eilish. I had never heard of Towa Bird, but I discovered that I liked her music and I liked the stage presence she held.
After an entertaining start, at last, Billie Eilish made her dramatic entrance to the song “Chihiro.” The crowd screamed and jumped to the song, the adrenaline affecting everyone around. Eilish played lots of her older, upbeat hit songs such as “bad guy,” “Therefore I Am,” “NDA,” “bury a friend” and more while making sure to perform a good amount of songs from her new album.
To say I had no expectations going into this show would be a lie. I went to her “Happier Than Ever” tour back in 2022, and it was amazing. Her “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour did not disappoint, and it helped me rediscover my love of her music. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as the first one, solely because I wasn’t as big of a fan this time. However, both were filled with elation, and everyone seemed thrilled with Eilish’s stage presence and talent for performing. For her most recent concert, I didn’t have a great seat and it was a little hard to see, but despite that, I still felt included in the environment of the show.
Aside from singing her songs, Eilish made sure to continually check in with the crowd to make sure everyone was doing okay. During the show, you could really see how much she cares about her fans. She made sure to include everyone in the room, even the people at the top, which was where I was. She was very gracious and made sure to show her love for her fans.
I loved everything about this show, but my only regret was not listening to her new songs in advance. I used to be a huge fan of her music, but over time, that faded. I went to the concert because my cousin invited me, and she was the one I went to the concert with before. However, I couldn’t motivate myself to listen to the whole album or memorize the songs, so in that way, this concert was way different from when I went before. If I could go back in time, I would learn the lyrics so that I could sing along the whole time rather than standing around awkwardly. I found that I did in fact like her new songs, but I just wished I’d realized that before.
Because of that, I would get a fresh burst of excitement every time an old song came on, and my memory surprised me; I didn’t know I still knew the lyrics. My favorite song that came on was probably “when the party’s over” from her album “WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO,” even though it was a slow song. I liked how much she could command the attention of the crowd and completely change the atmosphere during different songs. She would hype up the audience with the exciting songs, and mesmerize them with her slow, soulful melodies. She was an amazing live performer, and her vocalization was captivating in “when the party’s over.” The song brought me back to a time when her music filled my days, and it hit me with a wave of nostalgia.
Unavoidably, the concert started coming to a close, and she ended with her hit “Happier Than Ever,” followed by “Birds of a Feather,” one of the most popular songs from her new album. She showed her gratitude for everyone coming, and the cheering seemed to go on forever as she exited out of sight.
Overall, Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard And Soft” concert was everything I hoped for and more, as every song kept the audience longing for the show to never end. The flashing lights matched the beats and Eilish put on an unforgettable performance. Although it was my second Billie Eilish concert, I enjoyed it as much as I did the first time and I would love to have the chance to see her again live.
