FINNEAS Concert

Finneas OConnell with his sister Billie Eilish. | Photo: @wherearetheavocados

Finneas O’Connell with his sister Billie Eilish. | Photo: @wherearetheavocados

Ana Peres Bogo, Writer

Finneas is an upcoming artist who has spent most of his career behind the booth. He just released his first EP titled “Blood Harmony” on Oct. 4. His first tour, also titled “Blood Harmony,” just ended on Oct. 24. As Billie Eilish’s older brother, Finneas finally has the opportunity to move out from beneath her shadow and shine on his own, embracing the challenge with ease and charisma.

Finneas has been in the music industry for quite some time, earning credits as Billie Eilish’s producer as well as her bass player and keyboardist. Finneas was also involved with Gomez’s chart-topping  new single, “Lose You To Love Me”.  

The “Blood Harmony” tour was relatively short, spanning only six dates– San Francisco, Los Angeles (two performances), Chicago, New York and Boston. Surprisingly, each performance sold out prior to the release of the EP. Due to overwhelming demand, Finneas would release a few more tickets on the day of each performance so that fans who would have otherwise missed out received a second chance to attend

The opening act was Lauren Sanderson, whose ability involve and connect with the audience was a nice surprise. The singer only has an EP, “DON’T PANIC!,” but her debut album will be released by the end of the year. Sanderson had a very positive message, always reassuring the young audience of continuing to fight for what they believed and to be proud of who they are. Sanderson’s performance foreshadowed for the type of interactions the audience could expect from Finneas. 

The stage setup was minimalist but aesthetically pleasing: a door made of lights, a couple of strategically placed lamps and a white piano. Regardless of the simplicity of his props, each piece synced up so perfectly with each song that it was almost unbelievable. Finneas interacted with the changes in ambience and crescending intensity to underscore the meaning of his lyrics, consequently enhancing the performance. 

Finneas opened the show with one of his latest singles, “I Lost A Friend”. Finneas entered the stage through the door made of lights and went to the piano. The moment he stepped onstage, the audience went wild. His all-white outfit also matched the scenarios he illustrated to his audience. Concertgoers sang “I Lost A Friend” with him as if it were already a classic, despite it only coming out five months prior. 

As a headliner, Finneas was extremely charismatic, dancing and telling the stories that served as inspirations to his songs. The audience laughed loudest at the backstory for “Partners in Crime,” which was written about buying tickets to see a concert with his girlfriend only to break up shortly before. Finneas said he texted her and asked if she still wanted to go as friends. He advised everyone never to attempt friendship in the immediate aftermath of a breakup. He also spoke about his current girlfriend, Claudia, who was the inspiration to many of his songs as well. 

This was definitely the way to start a solo career. After producing for quite some time, he exudes knowledge of the music industry, concurrently displaying his ability to compose poetic lyrics while entertaining a crowd. A new upcoming artist who has all the tools to become the next big hit in the upcoming years.