On Friday, October 18, 2024, I had the opportunity to attend Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft tour at Madison Square Garden.  

It was the final night of three at this location and was nothing short of an amazing closing show. Everything from Eilish’s stage presence to the crowd’s excitement made the night what it was. 

Eilish’s tour is viral for specific moments that I simply can’t not share my experience with. One of these is her performance of When The Party’s Over, during which she asks the entire arena to be silent so she can produce the backtrack of the song while on stage. Most nights, the arena becomes quiet enough to hear the air conditioning units. I stared down at the stage in awe of the respect and community that Eilish had created. Another notable moment is her opening; two minutes of flashing lights and song hints until Eilish appears within her floating platform to perform CHIHIRO. No one does tour openings like her.

The arena was filled with Eilish look-alikes. From jorts to jerseys, the dress code was edgy streetwear. Bille has been known for this look for years and has essentially turned it into her brand. There was no question that night of who was walking down the street on their way home from the singing and crying experience along with 20,000 others. 

Among the people leaving the arena, many were wearing or holding their brand-new merchandise. Her lineup consisted of two hoodies, a crew neck, two long-sleeved t-shirts, four tour t-shirts, one city-specific t-shirt, a tank top, a poster, a BLOSH necklace, and a belt. The entire clothing lineup is made from 100% recycled cotton or recycled polyester. Her vinyls are made of recycled materials as well. 

The night slipped away too quickly. As Eilish says, “Well, good things don’t last, and life moves so fast.”