This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending Conan Gray’s Wishbone Tour at the Kia Center in Orlando! As a long time fan of Gray, who has watched him grow as an artist, this tour was quite a full circle moment. It was my first concert in 2022 during his Superache era. He performed at House of Blues in Disney Springs, which has a capacity of 2,500 people, and it was not sold out. Less than four years later he sold out the most famous arena in Orlando which can fit almost 20,000 people.
As an artist, Gray has always thought outside the box. His creative vision is unmatched compared to a lot of male artists right now. As his popularity has grown, he has been able to bring his vision to life for his fans. When he first started the Wishbone era, he created this whole world through his music videos and the visuals for the album. We have been seeing a repeat of the same aesthetic for a lot of male artists, and it seems to be a copy of Harry Styles’ image. Gray has always remained unique. His 2024 project, Found Heaven, was inspired by ‘70 music and vibes, which was not something artists were doing a few years ago. His presence has been growing at a good pace, which makes his career all that better. He has not had to deal with the pressures some other artists feel when becoming overnight successes. He has gained his fame and recognition at a pace that has allowed him to maintain his artistic integrity.
The Wishbone Tour was an experience from beginning to end, with only one negative aspect. Starting with the not so good, the stage was very small. The stage was in the shape of a wishbone, which was very symbolic of the album, but due to that shape it was very small. I was in one of the middle sections, third row, and had a slightly hard time seeing him since he was always to the side. The best place to be was the side section’s lower bowl; you get to see him on stage and on the catwalk.
The good parts of the show were undeniable. The entire hour and a half was him telling a story in different parts. The setlist was carefully thought out for every part. The show was divided into four acts, each one with an introduction and a song that fit into that category. He comes on stage riding a bike while wearing a sailor outfit, like the one on the album cover. The campfire song and the wishbone fan moment are two highlights of the experience. It shows how he connects with his fans. The campfire song is where he plays an older song of his choosing. For the Orlando show it was “Generation Why,” one of his first songs ever, and it really felt like a full circle moment.
Only a few songs later does the wishbone break happen, which is when a fan gets the long end of a wishbone and decides which of two songs will be playing. I was extremely happy when the fan picked “Astronomy”; that’s one of his best songs, ever and he loves playing it. Gray brings an energy to the stage with his creativity and presence that is unmatched.
The set design for the tour was intricately thought out. Each part has its own background like a field, clouds, or a sunset depending on the part of the show. The band was absolutely amazing, their rendition of “Connell” had the entire arena screaming with excitement. The band, plus Gray’s drama and vocals, made that one of the best moments of the entire show. He paid homage to his big hits like “The Cut That Always Bleeds” and “Heather”, along with many other songs that have been extremely viral but people never put a face to the name.
Overall, my experience at the Wishbone World Tour was very emotional. It felt crazy to see one of my favorite artists in my hometown but at two completely separate venues years apart. His growth as an artist is what most desire to have. His creativity is the most impressive part of the entire show, just seeing how he brings his vision to life.