«Sing hanging, running, lying. And always sing. And everything sings. No network. No canned voice. And doing it like Los Angeles »
Billie Eilish in Barcelona in Barcelona attended Carlos Pérez de Ziriza. Today he tells us how a concert was developed for the history of an artist who has already made history.
Billie Eilish
Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Text and photo: Carlos Pérez de Ziriza.
I start with an apology: surely the comparison between talents for gender is ugly because it is something that we should have more than surpassed, but Billie Eilish live highlights a lot for context, and more after having attended the spring Sound last week. Unlike the main flat of mega female stars that have hatched during the last decade, it does not need to fly a hypersexualized image, or surround themselves with infarches choreographies, nor develop a plot concept that throws the thread or erected in queer or lgtbi emblem. No. It triumphs in a more natural, unfolding, fluid way.
He goes to the stage from a huge bucket with a Marithé François Girbaud (a brand that I believed dead and buried: I have it associated with when adolescents from the late eighties thought we were guais for wearing jeans chipie or liberation or private sweaters) as football team, sport and white socks to the knees. And it moves how and where he wants, among the four corners of the central stage, located in the middle of the track. Without further coordination than you want. As if he received us in the living room of his house. Sing hanging, running, lying. And always sing. And everything sings. No network. No canned voice. And doing it like Los Angeles. Dominating each and every one of its records: Billie Baladista, La Billie Truculenta, Billie Synth Pop. To Billie Raverabecause the crazy final stretch of “oxytocin” – one of the highlights of the night – reminded me of the Central European EBM, also from the late eighties: that Front 242 School 242. A fiestón. But always with contemporary approach: the friction points of their argumentary with the rhythmic of the Hip Hop are evident.
The Californian manages all the springs of her argumentary on stage with the same solvency as on her three albums. I overwhelm. He draws you. You wonder. To me and the other 18,000 people who last night attended the second of their two consecutive bowling at the Palau Sant Jordi. In five years he has folded his capacity to call, forcing a second date to schedule: remember that in 2019 he has already passed to Sant Jordi because the forecast of 5,000 spectators who were theoretically seeing it in the Poble Espanyol fell more than cuts. It is impressive that all this background accumulates it without having turned 24. He was not even born when the twin towers fell. I intimidate think how far you can go.
The last night (after the pass of the British Tom Odell as the opening one: correct without more, I find it as tasteless as when I discovered it in the FIB of 2014) was one of the best sand concerts (or stadium) that one remembers in a long time. An hour and forty minutes in which he did not have left (at least, me not) absolutely nothing. A band of four musicians – base, bass, guitar, keyboards and two choris. An interpreter in a state of grace, wearing the security and poise of a privileged intelligence. Of those that fit the public’s screams without overact mohies. Without giving them diva.
A precise, impeccable scenography in the light, without incurring the recharged. And unappealable cuts, without any of its three albums (the second one was the best international album of 2021 for eme eme) clearly predominates over the others: “Chihiro”, “Lunch”, “Bad Guy”, “Skinny”, “Your Power”, “HAPPIER THAN EVER”, “GUESS” (its duet with Charli XCX, with the image of the image on the screen) or the catchy “Birds of a Feather”, with which he closed. With the guitar, with the piano, with nothing. Looking vulnerability and jubilation not as helped help to justify mediocre songs: on the contrary. And without anyone remembered by his brother Finneas, who was an indispensable partner in his concerts when he became known throughout the world. Even who is still in certain prejudices around the mainstream orbit will have to claudicate: Billie Eilish is a huge artist. Huge.
