Last night Conan Gray took the stage at Brisbane Entertainment Centre for the first leg of the Australian portion of his Wishbone World Tour. The fandom and lore preceded the 27-year-old artist, but arriving at the show to see the merch tent so absolutely flanked by a young audience of sailor-clad punters, it did feel like you were part of something.
With four studio albums in six years, Gray has whipped his audience into shape, with his shows well attended and fans lining up for hours beforehand to get in. Not to mention the countless fan accounts online, including fan accounts that specialise in showing people how to dress in his aesthetic, and others that keep fans updated on his tour and movements.
The show began with My World, one of the upbeat tracks from his 2025 Wishbone album, and it was the best choice for Gray as he rode a bike onto the stage in his blue sailor outfit. This kicks off the concept album the way it is intended to be listened to.
For new Coneheads (the name his fans call themselves), a Conan Gray show follows a specific formula that is rich with storytelling. The show is broken into four acts, each with unique stage backdrops and outfit styles.
Act one is the sailor uniform resembling the Wishbone album cover, and is meant to signify his "normal" self at the start of the story, prior to the heartbreak. Act two marks the slump for Gray in his pyjamas, which he reveals he is wearing under his sailor outfit, with the blue and white striped glittering outfit taking him to a bed on stage for his slower, more emotionally charged songs, like Class Clown and Nauseous.
Act three is Gray in his striking flowing blouses and high-waisted pants, with this romantic style showing him as he begins to find himself again. Act four sees Gray wrap up the show in his rhinestone-covered captain's outfit, finally the captain of his own life.
But don't for a second think that this show was predictable, as Brisbane was treated to many surprises from Gray. The "Conan Campfire" song, which takes place halfway through the show, is always hotly debated by Coneheads as to what it will be.
A quick deep dive into socials, including the Brisbane Entertainment Centre's Instagram stories, showed hordes of fans "manifesting Moths." That was the chosen song, and when it was revealed, a deafening scream went up across the crowd of some 13 thousand.
The Conan Campfire song is different at each stop, suggesting that Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth should get a different track entirely (sorry not sorry for snagging Moths!). There was a small artificial campfire on stage for the duration, casting minimal light and smoking as if it were real.
Another show tradition is the Wishbone break, which is often seen online. Gray picked a fan from the crowd last night and put two song options to them: Door or Sunset Tower. He and the lucky fan pulled a wishbone, and the fan won the longer side and chose Door. Past shows on his Wishbone tour would suggest the fan ultimately decides the song anyway, but the ritual was fun to be a part of.
It would seem like Gray has taken cues from Taylor Swift with his built-in lore, but the truth is, the audience has always been invited into the process for the singer. Starting out on YouTube in 2013 under the username ConanXCanon, Conan posted vlogs and covers that he put together using GarageBand and makeshift sets in his bedroom.
Idle Town was his first self-released single, going viral and drawing record studios' attention, which led to him signing with Republic Records. His debut EP, Sunset Season, came out in 2018, followed by the Dan Nigro-produced debut album Kid Krow. Kid Krow included his breakout hit Maniac.
The support act to Gray was Esha Tewari, an Australian singer-songwriter who plays indie folk and indie pop.
Only 20 years old, Tewari came up through TikTok in early 2024 and only signed a record deal in 2025. Initially, we had thought Tewari was the support for the Oceania portion of the tour, but the young Australian artist was actually the support for every part of the tour, from the United States to Europe.
She brought a palpable energy to an already frenzied audience waiting for Gray, and held her own on the large stage, undoubtedly converting even more fans from the tour exposure.
The Wishbone Tour kicked off in February, has been making its way around the world, and will conclude in Perth after playing Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide first.
