Neon Skies night one: Big vocals and even bigger feelings

On a sticky summer night, amidst a sea of white sailor hats and red ribbons, I watched as Natasha Bedingfield took to the Neon Skies Festival stage. She was the first of three performers featured that night. The air was thick with anticipation. Neon Skies is a brand new festival in Edmonton, and you could feel a sense of novelty and excitement buzzing throughout the crowd. Most people were there to see Conan Gray, the night’s headliner and the reason for the naval dress code, but Bedingfield’s arrival was still met with shouts of enthusiasm.

The British singer appeared in a burst of energy, immediately showcasing her show-stopping vocals in her first song, “Love Like This.” Her stage presence was effortlessly cool. It was obvious that she’s an old pro, airily throwing quips out to the audience between beautifully sung songs. Bedingfield’s fun, captivating presence kept the audience engaged, even though they were mostly waiting to hear her two biggest hits. She threw the crowd a bone by singing “Pocketful of Sunshine” halfway through the set, reeling anyone back in who had started to glaze over her other songs.

The most perplexing portion of Bedingfield’s set came near the end, when she began singing covers. Understandably, she was trying to hold the attention of the impatient Conan fans, but her strategy fell a bit flat. She veered from cover to cover, no apparent theme between songs other than their popularity. A snippet of “Smooth Operator” crashed into the chorus of “Birds of A Feather,” immediately after the beginning of “I’m Every Woman.” It felt a bit as though she was flailing. She should have trusted her magnetic stage presence and Hayley Williams-esque vocals instead of attempting to be something she’s not.

Bedingfield won her audience back at the end, returning to her roots and performing her biggest hit, “Unwritten.” The covers were quickly forgotten as the crowd screamed along, releasing their inhibitions and feeling the metaphorical rain on their skin.

Bedingfield’s set was followed by up-and-comer Myles Smith. Smith just released his debut album this year, and his newness to the industry shone through in his earnestness. Similar to Ed Sheeran, Smith came to the stage with an open heart and stripped-down guitar. The crowd was immediately charmed by his vulnerability, and cheered on his comments on the importance of support and community throughout the set.

Musically, Smith was just as sincere. His buttery vocals soared above the buoyant guitars and keyboard behind him. Songs such as “Hold Me In The Dark” and “Stay (If You Wanna Dance)” burst from the stage in a foot-stomping, Mumford and Sons-style bubble of acoustic instrumentation. His band beautifully filled out the sound, bringing an enthusiasm to the stage so genuine it was infectious. Each musician was excellent. Smith took many breaks for solos, allowing his band to show off their skills. By the end of Smith’s set, the audience was taken by his emotional vulnerability and sweeping musical presence.

But the main event was still to come. Conan Gray glided on stage with an untouchable confidence, his pseudo-sailor outfit flying in the wind. He was met with the uncontrollable shrieks of the audience, ecstatic that Gray had finally arrived. His performance definitely lived up to the expectations of the ravenous audience. Glistening with sweat and pure joy, Gray swept the stage, looking like the cover of an 80s romance novel. If he knows anything, it is how to bring the drama.

Song after song flowed out of him, each one more intense than the last. Gray’s signature genre is the power ballad, and he laid it on thick with each one. Nearly every song included at least one long, sustained emotional note, belting above the audience’s howls. The middle school girls next to me screamed along every time. The ace in Gray’s sleeve is definitely emotional catharsis. He appealed to the audience’s relatability by joking between songs about how depressing his music is.

Despite a pretty obvious formula, I found myself swept up in the Conan hype. Who doesn’t love to cry their heart out to a beautiful man crooning on stage? Two standouts include some of his biggest hits: “Heather” and “Vodka Cranberry.” The venue nearly exploded with the emotional force of these songs, the audience clinging to every note.

As Gray left the stage and the evening wound down, the air stayed filled with the excited chatter of the crowd. Maybe this was the start to another amazing annual festival in Canada’s festival city.