Conan Gray at BST Hyde Park proves he’s far more than just a support act

Festival support slots can be a tough sell. Plenty of fans are still arriving, others are pacing themselves for the headliner, more queuing at the bar – and the sun hasn’t even started thinking about setting.

Conan Gray, however, clearly had no intention of just warming up the crowd. From the second he hit BST Hyde Park‘s Great Oak Stage at 6:30pm, Gray treated his set like a headline show that just happened to have a slightly smaller audience.

‘Fainted Love’ opened the set with intent before ‘Never Ending Song’ raised the energy further. ‘Vodka Cranberry’, already a viral hit, drew one of the biggest reactions of the evening as thousands sang every word back to him.

Conan Gray treated his set like a headline show

What sets Gray apart isn’t just the songwriting, though ‘Heather’ still resonates years after its initial release. It’s his complete commitment as a performer. He’s not coasting, either. Wishbone debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and proved he can headline arenas on his own steam. That confidence showed in every gesture and every stride across the stage.

The vocals sealed it. Gray sounded consistently assured – hitting every run on the ballads while still having the breath to engage the crowd between songs with ease.

He has long since outgrown the label of support act

The same attention to detail extended beyond the obvious highlights. Deeper cuts from Found Heaven were given just as much care, adding depth to a set that never relied solely on the biggest hits.

Few support acts leave feeling like they could have comfortably headlined the same stage. Gray did exactly that. Rather than simply setting the scene for Lewis Capaldi, he delivered one of BST Hyde Park‘s strongest performances of the day. It was another reminder that Conan Gray has long since outgrown the label of support act.