Billie Eilish would have torn the roof off Pier 17 if the outdoor venue had one. Her gig at the Manhattan spot on Tuesday (June 18) was the first of two shows in NYC -- she plays the much larger Radio City tonight -- and by her 8:30 PM set time, the rooftop was already quaking with anticipation.
It had poured all day in New York City, and ponchos were handed out to concertgoers as they entered the venue. But miraculously, the rain cleared before Eilish came on, which was good news for the thousands of phone cameras, poised to capture every minute of the 19-song set. “New York, how you doing tonight?” she yelled, and it was off to the races.
The Rooftop at Pier 17 holds about 3,400, which seems almost too small for Eilish these days (she joked that there weren’t too many people in the crowd, but liked that this meant she could see everyone), and those in attendance at the sold-out show knew how lucky they were -- her next tour will presumably be an arena run, making the Pier downright intimate in comparison. Thus, they eagerly gave Eilish all of their energy and attention.