“I still remember, the third of December.” For anyone moderately active on Tik Tok during the Quarantine Era, there was a time where this sound dominated your For You Page, video after video, swipe after swipe. For anyone who didn’t spend the next five minutes attempting to track down the actual song, you were listening to “Heather” by Conan Gray. Conan Gray back then was, what most would call, an “underground artist.” But following the release of his second album, Kid Krow, in 2020, he quickly shot up in fame thanks to the popularity of his songs on Tik Tok, songs like “Heather” and “Maniac.” Afterwards he decided to release a few more singles, “Telepath,” “Overdrive,” “Astronomy” and “People Watching,” before dropping his third album Superache in June of 2022. And on September 16, he began his fourth headlining tour. Superache is an album featuring many songs centered around lost love and broken hearts, but there are a few that differ from Conan’s usual array. “Disaster” is a more upbeat song talking about taking the risk to enter a risky relationship with someone. “Best Friend” is a cute little tribute to those who help us get through those tough times in life. And one of the album’s most popular songs, “Family Line,” is a pure heartbreaker for anyone who’s ever had to deal with family issues or problems. It’s a gentler tune that describes Gray’s struggle with an abusive family that makes him scared of love. It gets me emotional every time.
Now back to the tour. On September 24, Conan performed at Jacobs Pavilion, keeping it a busy month for the concert venue since just a week prior, Kid Cudi had his Moon Man’s Landing Festival there. The concert door opened at 6pm, and his opener, Kacy Hill, took the stage at 7pm, prior to Conan. Kacey was on stage by herself, alongside her piano. She had an amazing voice. Many didn’t know her songs, but they were a good way to get us ready for the main act. She also sang in like a mumble, a trend among singers, where they sing softer and somewhat slur their words, making it harder to understand what they are singing. But she had a lot of energy for being onstage by herself. She was wearing a sparkly rhinestone bikini top and black pants, which impressed me because it was a colder day, and I was freezing in the stands. So props to her.
At 8:00pm, Conan took the stage. His setlist looked like this…
- Disaster
- Telepath
- Fight or Flight
- The Exit
- Wish You Were Sober
- Astronomy
- Best Friend
- People Watching
- The Story
- Footnote
- Movies
- Overdrive
- Checkmate
- Jigsaw
- Family Line
- Heather
- Maniac
- Memories
I discovered Conan during the hard time that was the Quarantine year, late April of 2020, and since then I’ve memorized the lyrics to almost every single song he has produced. So this concert was a greatly awaited event in my life. Conan’s voice and lyrics can make me emotional through the radio, and seeing Conan serenade the crowd live left me undone. I was an emotional disaster. I cried, laughed, screamed and cried some more in the span of five minutes. I should point out that this show was sold out as well, so Jacobs Pavilion was filled to the brim with people experiencing emotions just like me.
Conan’s performance was amazing. He’s become well known for being a singer with an amazing “natural voice,” one that doesn’t need special autotune to improve the quality of the songs. Personally I thought Gray sounded so much better live than how he does in the studio versions of his songs.
He delivered a show of emotions, starting off his set with some of his more upbeat songs, getting the crowd up on their feet and causing my sister and I to start losing our voice only two songs in. He then started to throw in some of his more slower somber songs, bringing out his guitar and causing tears to start to flow. When he performed “The Story,” a song talking about how life can seem hopeless and horrible, but sometimes it can get better, he was on the stage by himself, just him, his guitar, and the crowd. It was a moment that felt very personal and beautiful, listening to the packed stadium sing along, all in unison. Looking around, you saw many wiping tears, people hugging and holding each other close. I cannot lie, it was beautiful.
The last few songs in his set were “Jigsaw,” a song about changing yourself to attempt and earn someone’s love, but it was all in vain, “Family Line,” and his most famous song, “Heather.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd after those three. He switched it back up to some upbeat songs, ending the set with “Maniac,” then doing an encore to “Memories.” Then, as fast as he appeared, he was gone. The light came up, and the crowd began to clear as I stood there, holding my empty water bottle and concert merchandise to my chest, mascara smudged on my face from crying, as I tried to process what I had just witnessed.
All in all, this concert was an amazing experience, it was worth the wait and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Conan Gray is an incredible performer, and his songs will always speak to you on a personal level. I recommend listening to it right away. It will be worth your while.
