Among the multiple events that I still have yet to cross out from my life bucket list, the Conan Gray concert was one I can finally say I crossed off—something I added to my list all the way back when I was fourteen. The Wishbone Tour, emphasizing the “Wishbone” album’s themes of wishes and dreams, ranged from Texas to Europe and luckily made a stop in Philadelphia (an hour and a half train ride from Lancaster) on March 2, finally fulfilling a wish I had since I was a kid.
The concert came as a surprise—planned months before the actual date. The anticipation was no joke worth laughing at, yet it made everything even better. Days passed and not a single one went by without playing “Vodka Cranberry” on repeat, the second-to-last song to be played after deceit set in.
To avoid spoiling the concert too much, it began with the opener Esha Tewari, an Australian singer-songwriter who made a lot of Eagles comments (if you’re a fan), who played several melodious songs reminiscent of Beabadobee and ultimately performed my favorite song of hers, “empty pages.” Her performance, like much of the concert, was a surprise to me, but that only made it more thrilling. It was the perfect mellow start to the vibrant expectations and harmonies of Conan Gray, who would later surprise us with his unexpected setlist arrangement.
The concert opened with “My World,” the fifth song on his “Wishbone” album, as he entered the stage on a bike wearing a colorful sailor suit. The night unfolded with songs like “Class Clown,” “Nauseous” and “Connell” which of course reminded me of the book-adaptation series, “Normal People.” He then sang “I Wish You Were Sober” which swept the crowd away and made more than a few people lose their voice, including my friend Alex Relovsky and me, who would proceed to totally lose it on the ride back from Swarthmore College.
Apart from the iconic performances of “Heather” and “Vodka Cranberry,” my favorite ones were “The Cut That Always Bleeds” and a gift to his audience, “The Best,” an unreleased song he surprised the crowd with the opportunity of hearing. His performance of “The Cut That Always Bleeds” was even more than I expected and might have literally left a cut somewhere in my feelings. The intensity and rawness of his voice came through the microphone and the crowd resonated deeply with the emotion of the song. “The Best,” on the other hand, was the perfect mixture of bittersweetness, blending nostalgia with pain and acceptance. Similar to earlier songs like “Heather,” the song relates pain from past relationships yet takes on a twist, wishing the other person the best for the future without them in your life. The concert, unlike many others I’ve been to, had a chronological story to it, ultimately reaching Gray finding maturity and self-love.
On a somewhat melancholic note, Gray told the crowd that “Vodka Cranberry,” the song—or music video—that introduced me to the “Wishbone” album, would be the last song. However, he left the lights on and a lingering track of music playing in the background. We knew better than to leave. When he came back into the crowd singing “Memories,” a song we all thought we would miss, tears started to be shed. It was then that I remembered this wasn’t only a dream I had, but also one I shared with my sister, so I raised my phone and FaceTimed her. We watched the end of Gray’s performance together and she later texted, “cumpliste un sueño de pequeña,” or “you fulfilled our childhood dream.” Not to be cheesy but a lot of dreams were fulfilled during that night.
The hour-and-a-half ride back featuring Bella Kay’s “iloveitiloveitiloveit” on repeat and Gray’s “Eleven Eleven” at midnight was completely worth the experience. If you missed the opportunity, don’t fret and if you’re somewhere in California or Europe for spring break, don’t forget to check this out! It certainly was a memory I’ll never forget.
Freshman Francesca Rayo is the Managing Editor. Her email is frayogue@fandm.edu.