American singer-songwriter Conan Gray made his long-awaited return to Glasgow last weekend for the Wishbone World Tour, and to say this was an excellent one would be an understatement. Joined by the fantastic Australian up-and-coming artist Esha Tewari on support, this was set to be one for the favourite gig list. With his last Glasgow show being back in 2022, just before his critically acclaimed sophomore album “Superache” was released, fans were eager to hear all the new music, especially given the fact that Glasgow was missed out on his previous tour for the “Found Heaven” album. But was it the show we expected? Let’s discuss!

Esha Tewari

Before Conan even appeared, though, the fantastic support act Esha Tewari had already won over the Glasgow crowd. Esha is an artist I have been listening to quite alot over the past few months after discovering her music in a spotify playlist, and after discovering we are the same age, she has quickly become one of my favourite upcoming artists so I was super excited to hear she had been added as the support act for this tour. There were definite Beabadoobee vibes throughout her set — soft indie-pop with dreamy vocals and just enough edge to stop it becoming too delicate. She sounded incredible live, with genuinely angelic vocals that carried effortlessly around the Hydro, but what really made her memorable was how comfortable she seemed onstage.

One minute she was casually playing guitar, the next she was running around the stage chasing her guitarist during song two, turning the whole thing into this oddly charming little moment that immediately loosened up the crowd. Between songs, she shared stories about Scotland — mentioning how her parents used to watch Still Game, some memories with her Scottish roommate, and even a Scottish person as her French teacher when she was in school — and somehow every rambling anecdote landed perfectly. By the time the audience lit up the arena with phone torches during “Empty Pages”, it already felt like everyone was emotionally invested. I thoroughly enjoyed her set and cannot wait to catch her at All Points East in a few months time.

There was also a little call-and-response section during another track, where Esha repeatedly asked “is it about me?”, which had the crowd shouting back instantly, and the all-female band setup just added to the cool, effortless energy of the whole performance. This was super inspirational to see amongst an industry packed full of men. Little did I know this would become a major highlight for the whole night, but more on that later.

Image Credit – Amanda Elman

Conan Gray

Then the lights dimmed, and out of nowhere, Conan Gray cycled onto the stage like a whimsical pirate in a dazzling white sailor suit! Honestly, it felt like I was witnessing a cross between a fashion show and a circus performance—how could I not laugh and scream at the same time?

The Wishbone Tour is split into four acts — A Wishbone Never Breaks Even, I Got the Short End of the Stick, Conan’s Campfire, I Took the Long Way to Realisation, and I Wished for Love and I Found It — before the encore closes things out, and the structure makes the entire concert feel almost theatrical. Rather than just moving from song to song, the show constantly evolves visually and emotionally.

From the very beginning, Conan had ridiculous amounts of energy. He never stopped moving. He was smiling constantly, sprinting from side to side, jumping around the stage like he physically could not contain how excited he was to be there — and somehow his vocals never slipped once. That was probably the most impressive part of the night overall: no matter how much running or dancing he did, he still sounded incredibly stable live.

The opening act leaned heavily into the sailor aesthetic, with Conan’s full band also dressed in matching nautical outfits. At one point, he even sang whilst hanging off a wind turbine structure, which, written down, sounds absurd but looked genuinely stunning in person. The production throughout the night was massive without ever feeling overdone.

Kicking off his set with “My World”, Conan was hopping, skipping and jumping all over the hydro! Whether climbing on a windmill or dancing around, he never stopped smiling! This then transitioned into “Never Ending Song”, one of the highlights from his previous album, “Found Heaven”, followed by a few more album tracks with some fan favourites sprinkled in between. This was the perfect segue into the night, with the opening track welcoming us to the world of Conan Gray!

The transition into Act II was striking: the stage setup from earlier vanished, replaced by clouds and a giant bed where Conan lay in pyjamas as the act began. This clear shift received audible reactions from the audience. Visually, this was likely the strongest part of the show. The lighting design was incredible — soft, glowing colours washed over the stage while Conan, now dressed in white stripey pyjamas, looked like he’d stepped out of a strange dream.

Kicking us off with the haunting ballad “Class Clown”, Conan’s vocals were exceptional. Whether lying down or sitting up, his voice was crystal clear and full of emotion. It was gorgeous! This then transitioned into one of his most well-known tracks, “People Watching”, in which he suddenly sprinted through the VIP barricade, sending the entire floor into chaos. Performing the final chorus, he stood on the barricade to get up close and personal with his fans. This marked the first of many crowd participation moments of the night, and it was such a special moment.

“Eleven Eleven” then turned the Hydro into a sea of phone torches, and for a few minutes, the entire arena just glowed. Even quieter moments still felt huge emotionally. These moments are always my favourite part of my job, but I can’t lie, I did tear up a little bit seeing a full arena packed with phone lights for my little secret I discovered on YouTube just over a decade ago. It’s so special seeing the little artists you discover and cherish bloom into full-blown superstars.

My highlight from this section was actually the last song of the set, “nauseous”. Conan’s vocals in this song were gorgeous, but the lighting was the highlight for me. The production on this show was 10/10, the lighting was so beautiful throughout the entire performance, it really did feel dream-like!

Then it was time for Conan’s Campfire, marking the first surprise song of the night. This featured another brief outfit change, with Conan sitting at the end of the wishbone on a wee stool by a fake fireplace. He mentioned this section is for playing songs he loves that didn’t make the setlist, and tonight he chose “Door,” a favourite from his new album. It was a gorgeous, stripped-back moment. I would have loved to be up close in the first few rows, feeling part of the cosy bubble between Conan and his fanbase, the coneheads.

This brings us to Act III, which featured another full outfit change and perhaps the most dramatic entrance of the night: Conan appearing in a rowing boat. Apparently, walking onto the stage isn’t enough anymore. The venue made a comment on their social media that made me chuckle, so I have to include it. In a world packed with climate issues, it was something to see Conan be environmentally friendly, choosing to cycle and row a boat rather than other modes of transport. We love a sustainable king!

This section was packed with emotional songs and a few of my favourites. “Wishbone” hit especially hard emotionally, followed by arguably the most gut-wrenching song in Conan’s discography, “Family Line.” This song is super relatable to me, and I cried when I heard it at his 2022 show; tonight was no different. The lyrics resonate so deeply with me that I can’t help but tear up, especially when it gets to the lyric “now I’m scared that everyone I love will leave me.”

The highlight of this section was definitely the Wishbone fan moment, when Conan tested the theory that a wishbone never breaks evenly by snapping it in half with a fan. Whoever got the longest side picked the next song! The two options were displayed on the screens behind, and tonight’s were “Yours” and “This Song.” I was thrilled with the choice, as ‘Yours’ is one of my favourites and Conan performed it flawlessly.

Then it took us to the moment everyone was waiting for: Conan’s breakout song, “Heather”. This was by far the loudest moment of the night, and I have to admit I teared up hearing the whole arena sing his songs back to him! I’ve been listening since day 1, when he didn’t even have 1M listeners, and now he’s selling out arenas!

This section was brought to a close with “Connell”, which ended with one of the most incredible production moments; lights exploding across the arena as the stage transformed in seconds. I absolutely adored this performance; it reminded me a bit of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and her “Illicit Affairs” set, with a camera right in Conan’s face and him making super dramatic eye contact while the lights flashed all around him. It was, by far, the most thrilling moment of the show, and I was on the edge of my seat! I’ve never seen him perform like that; it was incredible!

By Act IV, the crowd had completely lost their minds. A buzzing sense of anticipation ran through everyone, mixed with sheer exhilaration. This marked the beginning of the last section of the show, and featured some of the biggest songs in Conan’s discography. And yes, the high note in “Vodka Cranberry” absolutely happened. It was perfect if I do say so myself!

For the encore, Conan returned in yet another outfit change, which I think marked the fifth? A new outfit for every section of the show is incredible for an hour and a half set! I was gobsmacked!

Kicking off the encore with the longest song in his discography, “Memories”, you’d think by now Conan may be getting a bit tired, but god, that would be so wrong! The energy never dimmed once, and his ad-libs were breathtaking! Then it was time for the last song of the night, “Caramel”, which was the perfect ending to the show, and the massive confetti blasts at the end just added to it! It was perfect!

Conan ran a full credit visual on the back screen, detailing everyone involved and their roles in the tour. As an industry person, I found this special: it’s rare to see such public acknowledgement for those behind the scenes. Conan’s gratitude toward the creatives and musicians was heartwarming, and I was especially proud to see his all-female band—a standout statement in a very male-dominated field. Much love to Lily, Hayley, Eliza, Tiana, Grace, Emily, and Renny for bringing the sound to life. The credit screen, with at least 70% women, made a powerful impact and honestly brought me to tears.

What made the concert so special wasn’t just the visuals or the massive production — although both were incredible — it was how happy Conan seemed the entire time. There was never a second when he looked disconnected from the audience. Even in an arena as huge as the Hydro, the show still felt personal, messy, emotional, and human, the way his music always has.

5/5 STARS. NO NOTES!

All words by Kyan Gilfillan for The Songbird HQ.