Father John Misty, the indie folk rock musician, performed at the North Park Observatory on Friday night (Oct. 6). As requested by Misty himself, I quote, “Joshua Tillman a.k.a. Father John Misty, who is known maybe more [for his on stage rants] than his music, treated the San Diego audience to [an outburst] about having had his picture taken with a cup of hot tea.” After weeks of touring across the nation, FJM fell sick to the flu, the primary reason for the hot tea. After finger-wagging his audience for a few minutes about their carelessness and lack of concern for his cool reputation, he gave the audience what they wanted and decided to cooperate. He proceeded to do different poses holding not one, but two cups of hot tea on stage.

The opening artist was Weyes Blood, an up-and-coming psychedelic folk singer. After experiencing Weyes Blood’s music in person, I can honestly say I look forward to hearing more from her and her band in the future. As of this year, Josh Tillman has released three albums in his Father John Misty guise. FJM’s first album, “Fear Fun,” came out in April 2012, followed by the “I Love You Honeybear” album in February 2015, and most recently, his “Pure Comedy” album, which was released in January of this year.

The venue was small and intimate; every single person there was captivated by his music for the entire duration of the set. There was a foggy, or shall I say, Misty, ambience due to the fog machines set up all over the venue. FJM did not fail to deliver a powerful and truly heartfelt performance. Not only is FJM a lyrical genius, he has an absolutely angelic voice unmatched by any major indie artists today.

I remember feeling a surge of excitement run through me from head to toe as he stepped onto the stage — a tall, majestic giant. The crowd was screaming, as he sauntered to the microphone and sang “Pure Comedy.” From “Pure Comedy” to “I Love You Honeybear,” FJM’s voice remained graceful, flu or no flu. It is unclear whether the best part of the concert was his sudden outbursts of dance, his spontaneous rants on stage, or the actual music. Nevertheless, he has a way of making each and every member in the audience feel included and truly a part of the experience. He made eye contact with his fans and talked to us as though we were his friends. FJM’s music is many things: melancholic, romantic, hopeful, satiric, but most of all, utterly raw and real. There’s something to be said about music that can make a person want to cry, laugh, dance, and love all at the same time. FJM is truly a testament to how magical music can be.

Overall, the concert was an unforgettable experience that I truly hope everyone has the opportunity to enjoy at least once in their life.

Grade: A
Date: October 6, 2017
Location: North Park Observatory

Image Courtesy of DIY Mag.