Billie Eilish Brings ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft’ To New Jersey, Surprises Audience With FINNEAS (Live Review)

Billie Eilish
“Hit Me Hard And Soft”
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Oct. 9, 2024
While the moment where Billie Eilish asks her audience to quiet down so she can loop her own voice – just as she does when recording – has gone viral on TikTok several times over, there’s nothing quite like experiencing it in person. A hush comes over the entire crowd (a shock in and of itself considering how loud they all were just seconds before) as they sit in anticipation for “when the party’s over.” The moment brings chills, and no video could ever do it justice.
And that’s just one part of Eilish’s remarkable show.
Walking into Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, countless trucks were lined beside the venue for Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard And Soft” tour. It was a shocking number for an arena show, but once fans see the stage setup, it’s easily understandable. Eilish’s stage takes up nearly the entire venue floor, and there isn’t a single bad seat in the house – but, if you’re on the floor, it’s harder to appreciate just how brilliant the production is. Nearly every inch of Eilish’s production also serves as a screen. The lights and lasers hanging from the rafters turn into projections, and the floor of the stage itself also works as a screen for her show.
When Eilish first appears, she rises from a box centered on stage, her band sitting on either side in a slightly lowered area. As the box continues to lift, she sits on the edge of the platform, her feet dangling above the rest of the stage floor. She opens with “CHIIRO,” from her most recent album, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT.
More than 20 lasers are part of the production, and Eilish also had pyro (that seemed precariously close to her band). Still, the endless screens both hanging above the stage and on the floor itself remained the most astonishing part of the production. When she walked across the stage, squares would spread out from each step. When she sang alongside her two friends since the age of 14, the floor projected the three of them sitting around one another. The visuals were crisp and clear. During “ocean eyes,” the box she first arrived in turned into a space for waves to crash against, the stage turning into an ocean floor. The only thing that can match the production’s incredible feats is Eilish’s voice. Her now-iconic whispering voice swiftly carries throughout the arena, making the whole room feel intimate despite its size.
Eilish’s wistful vocals were out in full force, her years of experience performing showcased on this trek. For “Hit Me Hard And Soft,” she’s clearly comfortable in her own skin and talents and a veteran on the road. She’s personable with the crowd and performs all the hits (“What Was I Made For,” her remix of Charli XCX’s “Guess” and “bad guy” are all included in this tour’s setlist).
While FINNEAS is not expected to join Eilish on this tour (he’s setting out on his own worldwide headline in January), and Eilish herself noted his absence on stage as she introduced the rest of her band, her brother still popped out and surprised guests with “Happier Than Ever” and “Birds of a Feather.” His appearance came as a shock, especially as just minutes before Eilish had pointed out this is her first tour with a full band due to his absence. He drew the loudest screams of the night, the entire floor shaking as he popped out and fans turning to their friends asking if it was really him.
