Bright, neon lights, 80s thriller-esque set, flashy costumes, and an 80s-inspired track — Conan Gray’s “Found Heaven” tour is every disco lover’s dream…except for the hoard of teenagers and their parents. On Sept. 19, Conan Gray kicked off his “Found Heaven” tour with a performance at the Armory, and it was definitely a Thursday night to remember.
Gray’s set was a mix of new and old favorites, starting with two songs from his recent album, “Found Heaven.” It then jumped into his biggest hit, “Wish You Were Sober.” Though his new album is filled with lively, bop-able tunes, Gray is more well-known for his more gut-wrenching tunes such as “Heather,” which he saved for towards the end. The question I had throughout the concert was: how in the world is he going to manage with the mood change of his songs and keep the energy up? Luckily, the question was answered for me throughout the night.
In a series of back to back heart-aching songs like “Family Lines,” “Astronomy,” and “The Exit,” the mood never shifted for the worse. The atmosphere in the Armory wasn’t depressing, but communal as if everyone there had a collective understanding of one another. In short, we were all depressed together.
We obviously cannot forget the opener — Maisie Peters, who absolutely killed it, according to my roommate. As someone who’s never really listened to Maisie Peters before, I was pleasantly surprised with her performance. Her energy and set definitely were a good match to set up the crowd for Gray. For my roommate, it was probably one of her favorite openers she’s seen. How do I know? I was standing right next to her as she scream-sang every. Single. Word. The icing on the cake? She was frat-flicking at some points too.
Overall, Gray’s “Found Heaven” show was a very fun and animated one where you’ll definitely lose track of time. I know it’s been a struggle to get back into concerts ever since the pandemic, due to high price tickets and sometimes poor concert etiquette from other people. However, I highly recommend attending a concert sometime this year — the vibes are definitely different. With Sabrina Carpenter’s tour that’s trending all over the internet, Gracie Abrams touring, and Billie Eilish as well, I believe that concerts are so back.
