Any artist with over 100 million Instagram followers, critical acclaim, a diehard, obsessed fanbase, and the ability to sell out arenas in minutes, should reasonably come with high expectations for their performance. This is especially true for Billie Eilish, who has spent the last decade catapulting from teen sensation to the upper stratosphere of pop stardom.
Eilish has weathered this level of success incredibly well with albums and viral music videos that demonstrate her artistic evolution, extreme creativity and vocal talent, and a public presence that endears her to fans to the point of fanaticism. Case in point is her 2024 album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, which features some of her strongest, most radio-friendly tracks to date and is the reason for her current tour.
Does this level of celebrity, influence, and marketing power render the typical standards for a great concert moot when simply basking in her presence is enough to make most fans giddy?
This was a lingering question after Eilish's current tour - one of the most in-demand and top-dollar tickets of the fall - made its way through Portland, Oregon on Sunday, December 8th, for a very sold-out show at the Moda Center.
As the moody blue light faded in and out capturing the Instagram-ready aesthetic of HIT ME HARD AND SOFT album cover and tour merch - fog machines belched out puffy clouds while anticipation filled the air. Finally, house music dropped as an army of phones rose up to record Eilish performing in a glowing cube driven by "CHIHRO."
What ensued for ninety-ish minutes was showcasing dynamic talent as much about putting connection with fans in spotlight. Dressed in signature oversized jersey & basketball shorts epitomizing weirdo cool entrenched nostalgia fashion mash-ups.
"LUNCH" was a sharp bass-driven ode exploring sexuality seeing Eilish running across stage belting upbeat pop flow.
The performance leaned into ballads connecting emotionally following "Therefore I Am" hip-hop-like verses blasts pyrotechnic flames; she took break admiring fans basked excited roar surpassing speaker volume serenading them "WILDFLOWER," folksy R&B-laced pop showcasing vocal power.
With bandmates performing sunken portions stage front center throughout creating communal experience impressive maintaining magnetic hold crowd large asking silence live loop vocals dreamy vulnerable tune "when party's over."
Yet somewhere between "THE DINER" & "ilomilo," it was hard not wondering if theatrics expected dominating upper stratosphere commanding ticket prices might ever engage...
- Mega-hits like bouncy carnival wonk "bad guy"
- Singing "THE GREATEST" dangling platform best moments both vocals production
Difficult finding overall performance underwhelming despite lasers pyrotechnics fired off especially during acoustic section including whispery songs commanded coffee shop attention felt hollow snoozy cavernous arena.
Luckily momentum gained ramping energy eerie goth-pop “bury friend” version “Oxtocin” exploded rave vibes sprung platform Charli XCX collaboration “guess.” Audience excitement carried end breakout song “Ocean Eyes” highlight set-closing straightforward palatable work pop date.
Any performer singularly commanding large audience impressive clear anyone living rock take career direction proved left desired sheer excitement expect biggest concerts legendary artists dynamic stage matters longevity attendance fulfilled worshipful adoration broader view concert experience whole exciting part where finds evolving meeting challenges growing adulthood hopefully means building dynamic live adequately showcases full breadth creativity.