Last Friday I saw the amazing Billie Eilish in concert at CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland for her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft.” It was the kickoff show for the US after the first few shows in Canada. 

I was so excited at how early my show was on the tour and decided it was realistic to avoid seeing tour videos on social media. This is something I had wanted to do with other concerts but couldn’t because my date was so far down the list. So naturally, with the first US date, I decided to go into the concert completely blind – from the setlist, visuals and stage setup.

When I first bought tickets, I was also blind to the album. I hate this new thing where artists make you buy tickets to concerts before the album comes out. I was worried that I would buy insanely expensive tickets only to not like the album that much. 

But when “Hit Me Hard and Soft” came out, I knew the tour would be breathtaking. This is my album of the year. It’s so diverse, with everything from EDM to pop to vocal powerhouse songs.

So I waited and waited and finally scurried over to the concert in my bandana and jersey and jorts, (the Billie Eilish uniform), got my snacks and waited anxiously in my seat for the concert to begin.

The first thing I want to commend Billie on is the setlist. The setlist is always the thing I’m the most excited about at a concert. As expected, she played most of her big songs like “Birds of a Feather,” “bad guy,” “Happier Than Ever,” you get the gist. But what was even more exciting to me as someone who knows every single song she’s released, are the less popular songs she chose to play. 

I turned to my friends in shock when Billie played songs that don’t top charts, but are beloved by me like “Male Fantasy,” “Oxytocin,” and “Skinny.” I adore when artists give some love to their less known songs on tour.

Another amazing part of the setlist was the amazing division between “sets” of songs. Billie has both bass-heavy, jump-around pop songs and devastating guitar and piano ballads. She did a great job of dividing the moods of the songs, playing the different vibes in groups.

Now, let’s talk about my absolute favorite part of the show – the visuals. The visuals of this show are nothing like any concerts I’ve been to before. Throughout the entire concert, there were lasers. Come on. Lasers are so cool.

Feeling the bass thumping, hearing the crowd shouting and seeing the neon green or bright red lasers flicking around the arena felt like I was in another world. The environment was carefully curated and successful in making the guests feel like they were dancing in the middle of a light show.

I not only have compliments for Billie, but I have compliments for the members of the crowd. In an age where the trend of bad concert etiquette is ever so present, this concert was the exception. I was cringing in anticipation of hearing people shrieking in my ear, or holding signs up over my face or yelling offensive things during acoustic songs. Not in Baltimore. 

Even when Billie put her spin on the famous “mute challenge” popularized by Beyoncé, where she layered live vocals for her song “when the party’s over” the arena was eerily silent, you could even hear the hum of the air.

This concert was my second all time favorite – I’m sorry I don’t think anything will ever beat Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” I went to last year. More than anything, the otherworldly environment Billie created made for an ethereal experience that I will never forget.

Now I have to figure out how to get tickets to her next tour.