The concept of “fangirl” is a co-culture I consider myself to be well-versed in. I love all things pop culture, I’m chronically online, and going to concerts is my favorite pastime. The energy of attending a concert, waiting in line, meeting strangers that become your friends through a shared love for an artist, and the live music, is a sequence that will never get old for me. This was my second time attending a Billie Eilish concert, and the routine wasn’t any different now for her sold out shows at Madison Square Garden. However, seeing her in 2022, when she was 20 years old, versus now, in 2024, when she is 22, there is an inevitable difference in her tour. The pure growth of her fanbase due to her increasing popularity, her maturity, and the show itself, were all contributing factors in the change of Billie Eilish’s performance.
Eilish is someone I’ve supported since I was 11 and she was about 15 years old, so I’ve had the privilege of seeing her and her fanbase grow exponentially. Even from the “Happier Than Ever Tour” in 2022, I thought Eilish was at her peak. Her hit album and song titled Happier Than Ever were widely successful as she became well-known globally, was breaking records, and was on a sold out tour. I just couldn’t picture her fame getting any larger – not until her new album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, was released this summer. Along with her own growth in popularity came growth in her fanbase. More people are now following Eilish, seeing her perform live, and consider themselves fans of hers. This makes it harder to get tickets, and even more difficult to get a good spot in the pit at her show. As someone who is shorter, when I have a pit/floor ticket, I know that if I want to be able to see the artist, I’ll have to either be in the very front or very back so that my view isn’t blocked. For Eilish’s first night of her three sold out shows at the iconic Madison Square Garden, I thought it would be fun to try to be on the floor’s barricade. Of course, a ton of her other fans had this same goal in mind, so lots of people ended up camping out for numbered wristbands given out by the venue at 9 a.m. the day of the show. There were arguments between fans, and between fans and workers at MSG because of multiple fan lines, workers lying about policies for their own benefit, and people cutting in line. I was just there to get my wristband, but it ended up being an extremely stressful situation that was completely unnecessary. Due to MSG’s large size, I’d say at least 200 people could easily be on the barricade, so the cutting, arguing, and disrespect that was displayed in the morning for wristbands was useless.
Although it took ten hours in the cold, lots of stress and anxiety, and 43 people cutting me in line, I received my wristband and was able to have my usual school/work day before lining up for the show at 5 p.m. I rushed to get ready, filmed content, and made my train so I could get to the venue early and line up with my friends. Upon arrival, we all lined up in the order of our numbered wristbands, mine being number 113. After going through security and verifying our tickets, over 300 people were moved to a large hallway, where we chatted and took pictures. In about an hour, we were able to be walked to the stage by security, which was pure chaos. People were pushing, shoving, and yelling at everyone around them while holding their right arms up to show their wristbands so they could enter. It was very unorganized, and I think MSG would benefit from taking fans in groups to prevent disorganization and injury. We made it to our spots in line at 6:25 p.m, and then it was just a waiting game for Eilish’s openers, Nat & Alex Wolff, and her at 8:30 p.m.
Nat and Alex Wolff are brothers that I know from various movies, so hearing about them as musicians was a pleasant surprise for me. I really enjoyed their energy throughout their set., Their relationship onstage seemed organic and beautiful. The blend of their voices was something I only can describe as genetic; it was perfect. My favorite part of their set was their attitude towards the crowd. They were so thankful and expressive with the audience. You could see the grateful emotions on their faces, and hear how often they thanked Eilish for allowing them to open for her. They even came into the crowd during one of their songs to dance. Fans could see the two brothers, along with Eilish’s family and friends, dancing in the pit later that night, which I thought was really cool. Speaking of Eilish’s family, her brother, Finneas, who she writes and produces all of her songs with, was there, along with their parents and other close friends. Finneas, obviously being Eilish’s partner in crime and a solo musician as well, caused some extra excitement from the crowd. This is the first tour in both Eilish and Finneas’ careers in which they aren’t touring together, but both doing their own separate shows. When this change was announced earlier in the year, I was shocked, but I was hoping that Finneas would make a surprise appearance onstage for a couple of songs. Fans had been conspirisizing about this for months, but him being at the show made it all a little more believable.
There’s truly nothing like the feeling of seeing an artist you’ve admired for years in person. It’s something that is so meaningful and personal to me, yet there are thousands of other people in the room that feel the exact same way. Even though this was my second time seeing Eilish live, at this point in her career, it was so much bigger, and it felt even more special to be at her show. I know I say it a lot, but Eilish did not disappoint, with her energy, love, genuine connection with her fans, her vocals, and her setlist. Everything about this concert was perfect. She started off with pure energy with her song “CHIHIRO,” which easily got the crowd hyped and excited, especially as it is one of the most popular songs off her recent album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT. I wanted to make it a point during this show to not focus on filming as much, but instead be in the moment with the friends I met there. This mentality honestly allowed me to have many more memorable moments, including some with Eilish herself, which was really remarkable. Eilish played every song from her new album, including extended versions of songs such as “L’AMOUR DE MA VIE,” which is one of my personal favorites off her album. With her music being so versatile, fans went from crying to songs like “SKINNY,” “THE GREATEST,” and “WILDFLOWER,” to jumping during “Oxytocin” and “bad guy.” There truly was never a dull moment when she was onstage, and even less when the fan wish came true of Eilish bringing her brother, Finneas, onstage. Their sibling dynamic is so raw and pure that you can’t help but feel the love they have for one another when they sing together. Finneas joined Eilish for his infamous guitar solo during “Happier Than Ever,” and they danced onstage for the song they wrote about each other, “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.” Dancing and singing with friends and strangers I met that day, alongside Eilish and Finneas on stage, was an indescribable experience. The night ended with praise towards Eilish, Finneas, her band, and the stage crew. There were tears of happiness from her fans, and mounds of confetti coming from the ceiling. It was truly a magical experience attending a Billie Eilish concert, especially this unforgettable night at Madison Square Garden. Billie Eilish is such an incredible artist that genuinely relates to, and has a connection with, her fans and you can clearly see that when she performs. She creates music not only for herself, but also for her listeners. She gives beautiful vocals and genuine care for her craft with ease, which is so fulfilling as an audience member. I felt like every penny I spent towards my ticket, my outfit, and public transportation was worth it. The album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is a lyrical and vocal masterpiece, so to hear its brilliance in person was a privilege and an honor. The shows are different in so many ways each night, so despite this show being the best in my biased opinion, I’d recommend going to any Eilish show you’re able to.