If you were to ask a superfan what was lacking from Conan Gray’s concert at PNC Music Pavilion on Friday night, the only conceivable answer could be “more songs.”
The 26-year-old pop singer stopped by Charlotte as part of his Wishbone Pajama Tour. While bad weather loomed in the area, the only effect it had was an earlier start time. Hemlocke Springs opened the show 30 minutes early and Gray hit the stage just more than 30 minutes before his originally scheduled time.
After numerous songs from Gray’s friend Olivia Rodrigo played between artists to get the crowd fully warmed up — a preview of the constant singing along to come — Gray rode out onto the stage on a bicycle, grabbed his microphone from a mailbox labeled Charlotte NC and launched into “My World.”
Wearing a navy blue sailor suit, Gray started out the first section of his show by constantly bounding, twirling and dramatically posing around the stage. He would undergo a few costume changes, ending in a similar fashion to how he started: in a sailor suit, but this time with sequins.
Discovered on YouTube, Gray is on tour in support of his fourth album, Wishbone. His songs focus on love, heartache and the complexities of growing up — themes that resonate with the majority-teen audience that swarmed into the packed venue.
While the hour-and-45-minute set is generally the same at each tour stop, he also finds a moment to let an audience member break a wishbone with him to determine the next song. In Charlotte, the fan got the longer end and chose “Alley Rose” over “The Exit” for a surprise song.
Gray’s music offers plenty of opportunities to showcase his vocals — including the high notes in “Vodka Cranberry” — making it seem effortless at every note. His all-female backing band gave the music more depth and energy than what is usually heard on his albums.
The last two times he was in town, Gray performed at the Fillmore. Friday night’s show at a nearly sold-out amphitheater shows how quickly his popularity has grown.
As Gray himself told the crowd, “This is one of the biggest shows on the tour — perhaps I should come back here more often.” In the meantime, he’ll perform a few shows out west before going down to Mexico for the next leg of his tour.
Conan Gray setlist
My World
Never Ending Song
Bourgeoisies
Wish You Were Sober
Class Clown
People Watching
The Cut that Always Bleeds
Eleven Eleven
Nauseous
Romeo
This Song
Alley Rose
Heather (Lost version)
Family Line
Connell
Actor
Maniac
Vodka Cranberry
Encore
Memories
Caramel
Be sure to check out Queen City Nerve’s Soundwave, Charlotte’s most comprehensive live music listing, so you don’t miss out on any shows or concerts coming up. And hell, if you’re looking for something else to do, you can check out our events page as well, which runs the gamut of things to do in Charlotte. You don’t ever have to be bored again. You can check out more of Jeff’s pics and live reviews here.
