Conan Gray is glad he’s here.
Under a spotlight on the stage at MGM Music Hall at Fenway Sept. 26, Gray told the crowd of 5,000 people that there have been times in his life where he felt as though things would never get better. But once good friends, music and touring came into his life, he had one thought: “Holy fucking shit — I’ve got a whole lot to lose.”
The sold-out crowd was ecstatic, let alone glad, that Gray was in Boston. A rainy wait in line dampened clothes, but not fans’ excitement for the show, which was Gray’s second night at MGM on tour promoting his third studio album, “Found Heaven.”
The album, released April 5, was a new sound for Gray, whose previous two records are firmly slotted into the indie pop genre. “Found Heaven,” however, is an ode to campy 1980s music, with most of the songs on the album driven by synthy production meant to get listeners dancing.
Singer-songwriter Maisie Peters provided a solid opening set complete with her British charm, lively energy and dance-pop hits from her latest album “The Good Witch.” Peters is a seasoned performer — she’s opened for the likes of Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Coldplay and has also promoted “The Good Witch” across the United States, Europe and Australia on her own headlining tour.
She exuded confidence as she danced across the stage and performed front and center with her acoustic guitar. Songs such as “Body Better,” “Not Another Rockstar” and “John Hughes Movie” were popular among the crowd, but the most excitement came when Peters broke out into a cover of the chorus of Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season,” a song that was sure to get any New Englander in the room yelling the lyrics.
Soon after the end of Peters’ set, a black curtain with Gray’s new logo — a teardrop with a star in the middle — went up, sending the eager audience into a frenzy. When it came down at the beginning of the set, Gray was atop a raised platform, decked out in a black and yellow leather corset and pants. The energetic set started with “Fainted Love” and “Never Ending Song,” both off the new album, and gave the crowd a proper screaming vocal warm-up for the rest of the concert.
Gray turned to the crowd after and asked who went to Boston University, Harvard University and Berklee College of Music — he did not ask if anyone attended Northeastern, unfortunately for any Huskies at MGM that night.
“Thank you for taking time out of your busy study schedule to spend the night with me,” Gray said before jumping into “Wish You Were Sober,” the first song from his debut album “Kid Krow” to make an appearance on the night’s setlist.
The upbeat tunes continued with “Eye of the Night” and “Killing Me,” both from the new album. The main stage set was revealed during these two songs: A large star-shaped light was positioned center stage, reminding the audience that Gray is, in fact, a star. The shape framed him as he hit soaring high notes and grooved along to the beat.
Gray went on to perform a run of his moody ballads, many of which appeared on his 2022 album “Superache.” Here came the emotional peak of the concert: His song “Jigsaw” was an absolute standout and a perfect choice for the show’s midpoint — strobe lights, a crowd that sang along to every word and an electric guitar solo from a member of the band all came together perfectly.
Gray brought out his guitar (also branded with a star) to sing “The Story” and “Astronomy,” mellowing out the mood of the venue a bit for the acoustic tunes before bringing back the ‘80s vibes. Returning to “Found Heaven,” Gray launched into the title track, “Boys & Girls” and “Lonely Dancers.”
However, there would be “no more joy for the rest of the concert,” Gray said in a joking tone. Back to his anthems, Gray began to close the night with “Winner,” which warranted classic concert hand-waving from the audience, and his guitar made a reappearance for his viral song “Heather,” a song the crowd had obviously been waiting to belt all night.
Before he performed “Memories,” Gray told the audience the evening would end with the “Superache” single.
“This is the very last song, and I never lie,” Gray said playfully.
Except when he does. Gray came back out for the show’s encore in a sparkling black cape and a white tank top that read “BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH” to sing “Bourgeoisieses,” the viral “Maniac” and ballad “Alley Rose.”
During the last song, confetti fell around Gray as he left the stage, but not before he took a bow — because that night, he was the winner.
“Found Heaven On Tour” will continue to span the United States before arriving in Amsterdam Nov. 2 for a European leg.
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