Breaking onto the scene in 2020 with his debut album, Kid Krow, Conan Gray has risen to fame with hits such as Maniac, Heather and People Watching and has moved up to command arenas in the US. His live performances are marked by an eclectic production design that complements the singer-songwriter’s back catalogue with his Found Heaven signature star iconography ever-present centre-stage. TPi caught up with the crew to discover more.
“Conan’s engagement with his fans is really something else; they scream along to every word,” Matthew Chequer, Production Manager for Found Heaven on Tour, began. “It’s why we have enjoyed the tour so much.”
Having joined the camp in 2024, Chequer feels the touring industry is in a “good place” post-pandemic with a newer generation of roadies bedding in. “We’re finally getting there as an industry and the new generation of roadies have been on the road for a while now,” he stated. “Their experience is growing by the day. Things aren’t perfect, but they are settling.”
When looking forward to staging a production that tours the world, a dedicated crew is crucial to ensuring the show goes off without a hitch – and his relationship with the crew is both one of friendship, with multiple crew members visiting each other’s family homes after the tour, and hard work. The PM outlined some of the key characteristics he looked for when building out the Conan Gray crew. “Hard work is the first thing, but as long as you’re willing to learn then that shows a person’s character,” Chequer explained.
“Not having an ego is very important. When you’re travelling and with these people for 24 hours a day for months on end, it is important you get along. I brought in half the crew from a gig I was doing previously and everyone else was existing crew or were brought in by [Tour Manager] Austin Luna.”
Enlisting the help of suppliers Christie Lites, Worley Sound, Moo TV, Gallagher Staging, ER Productions, Rock-it Cargo and RBC Express, the tour visited venues across the US, including crew favourites Madison Square Garden and The KIA Forum in LA. “I have a network of ‘go-to’ suppliers, so it’s been great having them along for this tour. They’ve made sure our movement across the world has been as smooth as possible,” Chequer said, citing the influence of RBC Express. “They were new to me as a PM, and they worked out to be the best truckers I’ve ever had.”
“This was Moo TV’s first time working with the Conan Gray camp and our connection was Matthew Chequer, who we have a longstanding relationship with,” commented Travis Walker, Moo TV General Manager. “The crew we put on the road with Conan loved working with the team on the Madison Square Garden, Texas and California shows. We’ve loved supporting the tour on their biggest shows in 2024.”
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Words: Alicia Pollitt
Photos: Scott Hutchinson (@scotchphotos)
