Most Colorado residents are familiar with Red Rocks Amphitheater. Aside from being a national monument that’s famous for its trails and stunning views, it’s also a coveted concert venue. And on October 6th, Conan Gray completed the U.S. leg of his Wishbone Pajama Show Tour at Red Rocks, to a thunderous crowd of fans that included me.
Never in my 19 years of life have I seen so many people so excited, standing for the entire show, screaming at the top of their lungs, and cheering at every interval or pause. I was lucky enough to not only attend, but sit in VIP with one of my closest and best friends.
As we sat in the parking lot, joking about my rain-soaked dress that got stuck in the car door, we prepared for a drizzling and emotionally-charged evening. During my first concert at Red Rocks, I greatly underestimated the hike and was humbled by the elevation and number of stairs I had to climb while dehydrated in 90 degree weather. This time, my friend repeatedly promised that we would not be walking the entire park and would only be going the short distance for VIP.
Turns out, we ended up at the farthest parking spot from the entrance and needed to trek across the entire park to go inside. So off we went, determined to get to our seats in a timely fashion, though we took pictures at every stop and ran into a dad who complimented my pirate hat and told us he had a matching one, but was convinced by his family to not wear it.
After a significantly shorter hike, we arrived at the VIP entrance and made our way inside. The rest of the night passed by in a blur; getting our Wishbone passports stamped by an employee, being rushed on the slippery steps by a horde of pre-teen girls racing to General Admission, and trading bracelets with two strangers who had stacks of them on their wrists and were gifting them to everyone in the crowd.
My dress was thoroughly ruined by this point, but I was too warm with excitement and giddiness to care. When Mr. Gray appeared on stage, everyone screamed at the top of their lungs, calling out to the singer in the freezing weather. It’s safe to say that most fans will be excited about seeing their favorite artist, but never has anyone excelled at being as beloved as Conan did in that moment.
For those few hours, it was like he was the most important person in the world. And maybe he was. Maybe that’s the thrill of being a pop sensation and getting to tour across the globe, living the coveted dream of performing for hundreds of thousands of people night after night while your dedicated fans chant your name. When the stage lights dimmed and everyone turned on their phones’ flashlights, I was frozen in time. Together we swayed to familiar choruses. In that moment, I felt bigger than myself.
Although I’ve been a fan of Conan Gray since he released Kid Krow, I wouldn’t have gone to the concert if I wasn’t invited by one of my closest friends. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every moment of that concert, but what made it so memorable was getting to go with someone who is practically family. We’ve seen each other at our best and our not-so-great, exchanged gifts at Christmas and Valentine’s, and celebrated one another at every turn. I’ve had the privilege to visit Red Rocks with them twice, each with sentimental confetti stuffed in my pockets and a relentless craving for Raising Cane’s chicken.
I can still feel the thrum of the bass underneath my feet, my skin prickling from the chilly air, and I keep singing along with the crowd. Admittedly, I have not seen Conan’s other shows; but I daresay that this was his greatest.