]He’s close pals with Olivia Rodrigo and earned gushing praise from Elton John, but when Conan Gray appeared centre stage at London’s Wembley Arena for the final show of his ‘Found Heaven’ tour – in support of his UK Top 5 album of the same name – all eyes were on the YouTube star-turned-pop sensation, who packed out the venue with thousands of adoring fans.
Casual listeners might know him best for melancholic ballads like Heather – which has almost two billion streams on Spotify alone – but opening with the brash synths of Fainted Love, he soon established the tone of the show, which brought to life the ‘80s influences behind his most-recent record, both visually and musically.
Backed by a five-piece band, the shag-haired star adorned a glam-rock look of rouge leather pants and a co-ordinated sleeveless top, with torn fabrics hanging above the stage and an oversize star lighting up the backdrop, as he jumped headfirst into a 22-song set with an energetic run of singalong anthems including Never Ending Song and Wish You Were Sober.
With an undeniable swagger, he proved himself a fitting showman, channelling such luminaries as Freddie Mercury and George Michael, often catching fans’ eyes and engaging with them while ensuring he didn’t miss a beat throughout the high-energy show.
The stadium-sized Eye Of The Night built up to a euphoric key change at its climax that had the crowd jumping along, while People Watching – preceded by an extended chat between Gray and the crowd, as he jovially reacted to fans’ signs and led a Happy Birthday singalong to someone in the front row – had over 10,000 people singing to the tune of his every word.
Mid-way through the show, a stripped-back acoustic segment saw the star get nostalgic with a selection of his more contemplative material, as phone torches lit up the venue to tunes including his latest release Holidays; a tender moment that saw the singer-songwriter reflect upon the bittersweet nature of returning home for annual events and reconnecting with old friends.
A change in tone that could have derailed the show, Gray held his own while appearing solo, seated in the spotlight, with soaring vocals ensuring his command over the audience remained largely unbroken and paving the way for an even-more-impactful closing segment, with recent tracks like Boys & Girls and Lonely Dancers getting the venue on its feet again.
Ending the main set with Memories, a swift exit fooled no one and he soon returned to the spotlight, this time in a top adorned with ‘Bourgeoisbyebye’ – a reference to encore opener Bourgeoisieses, with the anthem once again rousing the crowd for an impassioned scream-along to the beating drums and laser light spectacle on offer.
Closing with Alley Rose – one of 10 songs from ‘Found Heaven’ in the set – it made for a euphoric end to the night and a further reminder not only of an excellent album that successfully leaned into the recent ‘80s revival while maintaining Gray’s signature style, but also of his capability as a showman who, after knocking it out of the park with his biggest headline show to date, has the world at his feet.
Setlist: Conan Gray, Wembley Arena, London
1. Fainted Love
2. Never Ending Song
3. Wish You Were Sober
4. Eye Of The Night
5. Killing Me
6. The Exit
7. People Watching
8. The Cut That Always Bleeds
9. Jigsaw
10. Family Line
11. The Story
12. Holidays
13. Astronomy
14. Found Heaven
15. Boys & Girls
16. Lonely Dancers
17. Winner
18. Heather
19. Memories
Encore
20. Bourgeoisieses
21. Maniac
22. Alley Rose
