Conan Gray lit up the night with an electric performance on Thursday at Red Hat Amphitheater. The performance was part of Gray’s international “Found Heaven” album tour which includes shows in North America, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom. 

While the tour is named for Gray’s 2024 album, the setlist included songs from all four of his albums which encompass a vast creative and musical range. 

Gray got his start writing poetic and deeply emotional songs that discuss heavy topics such as heartbreak and mental health. His most streamed song, “Heather,” is a tale of envy and disbelief as a lover chooses another person. The song was released on Gray’s first album “Kid Krow” and has amassed close to two billion streams on Spotify.

Gray’s newest album, “Found Heaven,” emphasizes a new era in his artistry while still paying homage to his previous releases. The album explores an ‘80s rock feel with an electronic synth sound. It brings out a new side to Gray’s music, both aesthetically and musically as he demonstrates the depth of his vocal range.

However, “Found Heaven” doesn’t completely stray from Gray’s roots. Centered around the period where he had both his first love and first heartbreak, the album plays with how emotion can be expressed through heart-pounding percussion.

The vast variation in tone between Gray’s albums presents unique transitions between songs in a concert setting. Gray and his team did an incredible job incorporating intricate lighting, crowd interaction and developing a setlist that interchanged high and low-energy songs to keep up engagement.

No two songs were exactly musically or visually alike. Lasers, fog, projections and bright colors interchanged between each number to keep the audience in anticipation. New light designs were introduced throughout the entire show, including a disco ball that made an appearance for “Bourgeoisieses,” a satirical song about striving for wealth at any cost.

A staple piece in the lighting design was the massive LED star that framed Gray in the center of the stage. It was programmed with an endless amount of colors and visual effects to set the scene for everything from indie to ‘80s.

Gray’s candid crowd interaction and use of ad-libs also allowed for a smooth transition between songs of different tones and musicality. Introducing a song through storytelling prepared the audience for mood changes and enhanced engagement during slower songs. 

Gray’s music surrounds many heavy topics from his life, including struggles with mental health in his adolescence. The song “The Story” bares Gray’s soul in a raw capture of this part of him. 

Before performing the song, Gray discussed what it meant to him and how he never would have believed during his adolescence that in 10 years he’d be on an international tour. He encouraged a positive and open outlook, reminding the audience that you never know what life has in store for you.

Gray brought an honest dialogue that broke the typical fourth wall feeling between an audience and a performer and encouraged a deeper connection with the messages in his music.

His eagerness to interact with the audience also allowed him to keep the atmosphere lighthearted, even after a solemn song. Gray told comical stories from his childhood, gave fun facts about koala bears and said Raleigh smelled like popcorn.

Gray’s authenticity and love for his art form were the only things that shined brighter than the giant LEDs behind him. He bared his soul while also managing to make it feel like a night in Funkytown. 

Next time Conan Gray is in Raleigh, don’t forget your tissues and leather jackets.