Conan Gray Concert Experience-Nashville
Me with Conan Gray - Ryman Auditorium, Nashville
As it came time for my spring break from doing school remotely, I couldn’t wait any longer to hop on a plane to the one and only Honky Tonk Central, Nashville, Tennessee! I had the opportunity to see pop-star Conan Gray perform at one of the most iconic venues in the country, the Ryman Auditorium; the heart and soul of Nashville’s country music scene. A venue that is pretty much of equivalence to the great Radio City Music Hall. Since its opening in the late 1800’s it has hosted some the world’s most renowned artists upon its stage. Conan can now proudly add his name to that list.
This would be the first time that I have ever traveled to a concert completely on my own. I was definitely anxious and nervous about not knowing anyone and whether or not I would have fun by myself, however, it was definitely worth it! As you can tell, I got the chance to meet Conan Gray, the icon himself. I can’t even begin to say enough good things about my first experience seeing Conan live in concert and meeting him!
When it comes to sharing my whole experience, I will start by letting you all know I purchased a VIP package which came with a few gifts from Conan. The gifts included a tote bag, collectors box, signed laminate, a necklace and a 20 minute Q&A with Conan prior to the show. I arrived rather early to the venue because I did not want to pass up any opportunity to meet Conan, it turned out to be a good plan as I did catch a glimpse of him entering the venue earlier in the day, before he came outside later in the evening; Which I knew he had been doing prior to every show, via social media. I ended up waiting outside the venue for approximately 5 hours before getting in line for the VIP experience. As I was waiting in line to enter for the Q&A this is when Conan exited the auditorium to hand out roses to fans like me who were waiting in line. He almost instantly came right towards me as I was wearing a birthday crown (reference picture) With a smile on his face Conan and I shared a brief interaction, an interaction in which he couldn’t have been nicer and I fully used my birthday crown to my advantage.
Once the doors to the auditorium opened, German-Canadian artist bülow opened the evening with an alternative pop vibe. Each song more unique than the next, she featured fun hop around the room-type of songs and some slow ballad-type songs. Bülow knew how to connect to the intimacy of the venue and got the crowd in the mood for Conan to take the stage.
As the anticipation was building for Conan, a giant black Crow was displayed on the bright LED screens of the stage (Reference photos in Gallery) a nod to his debut album title Kid Krow. A minute or two after the crow appeared it, it breaks free from the bird cage and Gray is illuminated above the stage. Decked out in his finest Nashville attire his outfit featured a vintage satin tasseled shirt and baby blue pants. With the stage light strobing, the energy was like a shockwave of electricity; The high pitched screams of the crowd reverberated off the historic Ryman walls. His setlist included his biggest hits like Maniac, Heather and People Watching. Halfway through the show, the big LED wall parted to reveal multiple rooms. One room with a bed as he explained to the audience he wrote his songs in his bedroom so he wanted to bring his bedroom on tour; and the other room in which adorning the walls, was pieces of paper with handwritten lyrics (Reference photos in Gallery).
By the end of the night, there was a heavy feeling of comfort and familiarity. Conan more felt like a friend rather than an untouchable artist on stage, he really had you feeling all the “love and emotion.” He even stated at one point during the show “ If you are here alone, I am your friend for the night” I felt so comfortable and at ease to enjoy the rest of my night. I had always wanted to see a show at a venue like the Ryman and my experience did not disappoint! It was one of the most wonderful shows I have had the opportunity to attend.
I want to put it out there, if you are looking into traveling and going to concerts by yourself, do it! You absolutely will not regret it. I was extremely nervous about not knowing anyone and whether or not I would have fun by myself, however, it was definitely worth it. Attending a concert on my own was a big step out of my comfort zone. A step my younger self would be very proud of, and I probably would have regretted more if I hadn’t taken the chance that I did.
As Conan took his final bow for the night I couldn’t believe how fulfilled and loved I left feeling. If you get an opportunity to see Conan Gray live on tour whether it is on this tour or his next, don’t pass it up!!!
-XOXO Rachel
