Finneas O’Connell, also known as FINNEAS, performed two back-to-back sold-out shows at the Brooklyn Paramount on Feb. 22 and 23. The 27-year-old musician delivered a captivating performance of his sophomore solo album “For Cryin’ Out Loud!” featuring a stacked setlist of 20 songs within the two and a half hours he was onstage.
FINNEAS had already found critical acclaim through his various musical endeavors alongside his sister, Billie Eilish. The sibling duo has performed together for years, since the launch of Eilish’s career in 2015. This past year, Eilish kicked off her “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” tour while FINNEAS was preparing to tour his second album, marking the first time that the duo hasn’t toured together.
FINNEAS is set to perform 14 shows within the United States before touring Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Europe, and more. The tour is shaping up to be his biggest headlining run to date. The two Brooklyn shows were the seventh and eighth stops on the U.S. leg of the tour.
His performance encapsulated the pop-rock feeling of the album, studded with breathtaking ballads and funky tunes. The 20-song setlist primarily featured songs from his new album, with a couple of songs from his first album “Optimist,” his EP “Blood Harmony,” and a cover of “Time for the Season” by The Zombies.
The show opened with FINNEAS on the keys performing “Starf*cker,” the opening track to the album. The song’s chorus is punctuated by soft chords but has lyrics that are meant to be screamed, a consistent theme in FINNEAS’s songs. The 10-time Grammy Award winner went on to sing nine out of 10 songs from his second album and a few fan favorites from his past works.
Before singing “A Concert Six Months From Now,” the second single on his debut album, FINNEAS prefaced the song with an anecdote about a recent experience he had in New York City. He talked about getting on the train late at night and bumping into someone whom he didn’t recognize at first.
“And I realized there was this kid named Ezra that I knew when I was thirteen years old, on the same train – on the same train car that I was on at two in the morning,” he said. “And I just like- shit like that, it feels right.”
FINNEAS connected the song to “moments like that” before delivering a stunning performance of the powerful ballad. The singer delivers dynamic performances due to his impressive musical direction along with impactful songwriting.
During the concert, some moments became emotional due to dedicated fan projects and sentimental songs. Fans distributed papers with hearts on them and instructed the audience to hold them up during the performance of “Angel,” and little blue stickers were passed around to be placed over the phone’s flashlight when “Family Feud” was sung. The meticulous organization of fan projects ensured that everyone had a chance to participate.
FINNEAS dedicated “Family Feud” to his little sister Billie, prompting another heartwarming moment and round of “aww’s” from the audience. The star expressed his appreciation for the fan projects and the dedication shown by getting up close with fans. He accepted handmade gifts and bracelets, allowing fans to gently toss the items on stage.
FINNEAS delivered an outstanding sold-out performance on Saturday before returning the next night to do it all over again.
