Elliot Hilden, managing editor 

Conan Gray is one of the best performers I have ever seen live. On Sept. 19, I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of the North American leg of his current tour for his new album “Found Heaven” at The Armory in downtown Minneapolis. And spoiler alert, I definitely made it to the afterlife with how amazing his performance was.

As I arrived, the excitement in the line was palpable. Everyone was adorned in 80s themed black and yellow attire, fitting the vibes of the album. I saw people trading bracelets, complimenting each other’s outfits and having a great time before even entering the venue. 

While the line stretched two blocks away, it moved relatively quickly once people started walking into the building. Once inside, I noticed that the venue was much bigger than I anticipated. However, this didn’t prove to be an issue as my friends and I quickly found a spot above the merch table with a great view even though it was towards the back of the room. 

When the opener, Maisie Peters, took the stage, her energy and excitement infected every part of the crowd. She was so much fun, making everyone in the venue feel included in her set. When she wasn’t singing, she would turn into a stand-up comedian, joking about being British and related to Ed Sheeran. I didn’t know many of her songs before seeing her live, but she gained a new fan in me due to her incredible vocals and contagious energy. 

After her set, the stage was made up to have two round platforms in the middle with a secret ascending platform at the top. When Gray started to rise into the air during “Found Heaven,” the entire crowd was screaming. I avoided any videos of his performances in other places so that I wouldn’t get any spoilers about my show, so when I saw that I was so excited.

When Gray was on stage, it was electric. His vocals were insane, nearly identical to the recorded versions. The setlist mostly focused on his album “Found Heaven,” but he also played more hits from his earlier albums “Superache” and “Kid Krow.” Throughout the entire show, the lighting was so vibrant and fun, featuring a large double star behind him and lasers that swept across the crowd. 

Whether he was playing the most upbeat dance songs in his discography or heart-wrenching ballads, Gray was so interactive and energetic. He was especially interactive before his song “People Watching.” After reading a sign saying it was someone’s birthday, he had the entire crowd sing happy birthday “in [our] most Midwestern accent.” It was so fun and sweet to find that connection with the others in the crowd.

Of all the songs he sang, the ones that stood out to me as the best live performances were

“Bourgeoisieses,” “Boys & Girls,” “Winner,” “Family Line” and “Heather.” I was a bit disappointed to see that “Crush Culture” wasn’t on the setlist, as it is one of my personal favorites, but I think overall the setlist was very well constructed and flowed perfectly from one song to the next. Having been a fan since his 2018 “Sunset Season” EP, I was so excited to finally get to see him live. He’s an incredible live performer, and I am so glad to say I found heaven at Conan Gray’s “Found Heaven on Tour.”