Billie Eilish Concert Review – A fully-formed performer at her peak

‘Happier Than Ever’ World Tour

23^rd September, 2022 Rod Laver Arena

Billie Eilish’s sophomore album Happier Than Ever was a fierce assertion of autonomy. While the lyrics were pointed in rebuking the men that had controlled everything from her relationships to her body, the effortless fusing between RNB-operatic ballads (Halley’s Comet) and EDM beats (NDA) in the musical content itself showed Eilish refuses to be told what to do.

Appropriate then, that her concert tour was a 90-minute celebration of young woman’s reclamation of power.

The last time Billie Eilish was in Melbourne, she performed at Margaret Court Arena to an audience of 6800 people. And while her audience then was considerably smaller than the 15,000 odd people that packed into Rod Laver Arena, it was no less adoring. Eilish’s ability to arouse hysteria has been a source of awe for many, but it’s not just teenage hearts she’s conquered. In three years, Eilish has come to be commander of the sometimes-volatile pop landscape, and has the accolades to prove it: seven Grammies, an Oscar, and holds the title of youngest person to headline Glastonbury Festival.

Given Eilish has only been in the public eye for six years (and on this earth for 20), her confidence and stage presence is astounding. The set is large but minimalist, with a sloped stage and a catwalk that extends into the mosh pit. Her “band” – brother and musical partner Finneas to the left and drummer Andrew Marshall to the right – is frequently obscured by red stage lights. There is nowhere for Eilish to hide, but she is not intimidated. In fact, this works in her favour: the venue and set fosters an intimacy that attests to Eilish’s desire to create a genuine sense of connection with her similarly-aged audience.

It is true that the act of “performing” implies insincerity, but there is none of that here. Even as she slithers and crawls during the more sexually charged songs of the set (Oxytocin, NDA), the charismatic Eilish never fully embodies her “Bad Guy” persona. Indeed, by pulling up a stool alongside her beloved brother to perform the ethereal guitar-strummed “TV”, Eilish proves she is a fully-formed performer.

Significant also are the “rules” she sets for her 20,000-strong crowd: “don’t be an asshole; we take care of each other here.” Perhaps this is a reference to Travis Scott’s neglectful response in the Astroworld crowd crush, but in between the claustrophobic grittiness of “ilomilo”, or “bury a friend,” it is a comforting sentiment. Eilish just wants everyone to have a good time, but safely – another means by which Eilish distances herself from the old-boys-club that steers the pop industry.

In her mission, her set list is perhaps a little too ambitious. At 26 songs, the concert becomes a medley which at times can feel rushed, especially considering there is no encore. However, a closing performance of epic rock ballad “Happier Than Ever” produces a sense of catharsis that Eilish felt when recording the song: “I screamed my lungs out … I’ve wanted to get those screams out for a long time,” she told Genius in 2021.