Under the Texas night sky on Oct. 25, Conan Gray brought his signature brand that’s filled with a rollercoaster of emotions to Austin’s Moody Center with his Found Heaven tour. It was more than just another tour stop, but rather a beautiful reunion between him and the city he grew up in. Conan brought a special energy to his performance, embracing his hometown roots in front of a large crowd that felt like family. The venue was filled with fans full of excitement and anticipation as they welcomed Conan back to his hometown!
Opening with “Fainted Love,” he dove right into the melancholic beats that fit perfectly as he returned to his hometown. The blend of soft pop and indie rock create an almost dreamlike sound of this song that’s really uplifting and was a powerful way to open up the concert. Next, Conan performed “Never Ending Song,” which captured a refreshing, retro-like feeling that filled the whole venue. This song especially fit Conan’s homecoming, as it featured a nostalgic-yet-playful vibe that fits him perfectly. Personally, this song was my favorite to hear live as it brought in so much powerful and exciting energy that you could feel spread throughout the venue!
As we moved throughout the setlist, the fans were able to see Conan’s feelings through the emotional storytelling that he’s known for. His signature stage presence mixed with raw emotion showed the connection that he has between him and his fans, which was beautiful to see. One song that truly embraced these feelings was “Family Line,” where Conan discussed significant moments throughout his childhood that were very touching and heartfelt towards the fans. I loved how Conan took a moment to pause and talk about the personal stories behind his music, which truly goes to show how open he is to his fans. Watching the whole venue take a moment to really focus on this song was such a touching sight to see, especially when the fans turned on their flashlights, making the whole venue look like a sky full of stars.
Another moment that stuck out to me during this emotion-filled set was Conan performing “The Story.” He talked about how this song was on every single setlist for every tour that he’s done and how he always wants to perform it no matter what. Throughout this heartfelt ballad, Conan dives into themes of resilience and hope in life’s hardships. This song is shown as a simple reminder for fans to keep going no matter what, and that life’s challenges don’t define us, but rather they’re just chapters in a story that is still unfolding. Having the opportunity to listen to this song in a venue with fans softly singing the song — just enough to not overpower Conan — felt as if everyone was closely connected together because we all have our own story to tell. This moment was a great reminder that everyone has an unfinished, imperfect story that is definitely worth telling.
Approaching the end of the set, Conan performed many fan favorites to close off this memorable concert. As soon as “Heather” came on, fans bursted out in a sing-along as the intimate lyrics mixed with Conan’s powerful vocals filled the venue with feelings of bittersweet nostalgia. Following “Heather,” Conan transitioned to “Memories.” I felt chills as the chorus began, hearing how heartfelt Conan’s voice sounded. Fans immediately felt close-knit with each other as they all harmonized along with Conan. You could almost feel the comfort that comes from recognizing that everyone in the crowd has felt similar emotions to this song. Last but certainly not least, Conan wrapped up the concert with “Maniac” and “Alley Rose,” which got the crowd hyped up one last time. These two songs were the perfect choices for closing out the concert because fans were able to experience Conan’s emotions that created an unforgettable shared experience, leaving them with much joy and reflection.
Overall, Conan Gray’s Found Heaven on Tour was such an amazing experience that I’ll never forget! Watching Conan’s journey come full circle in his hometown was a great reminder that everyone has their own story to tell. Listening to Conan talk about his own story and upbringing was very refreshing to hear and was a beautiful celebration of an artist who continues to speak about his own experiences through songs that resonate with his fans.