I’d heard a lot about Father John Misty before I arrived in Bilbao. From the fact that his performances are famed for their crowd interaction and biting, cynical wit, to the fact that his upbringing in Maryland was one of strict Christianity. Neither fact though, nor the plethora of fans and critics claiming his shows are some of the best in the world, could do justice to the full article that stood tall and lean on the Heineken stage amidst the dusty Bilbao sunset.
With a long night filled with music from some of the best artists in the world starting to draw in, it seemed appropriate that Father John Misty – otherwise known as Josh Tillman of Fleet Foxes fame – acted as the ceremonial curtain raiser for what would prove to be a night of sterling music to round off the already sterling festival atop Kobetamendi Hill. And he certainly didn’t disappoint. The hoards of fans and critics claiming him to be one of the best live acts around have a very strong foot to stand on if tonight’s performance is anything to go on. He swaggered onstage, calm and collected in the face of the European crowd as is his well renowned fashion, and simply put on one of the performances of the festival.
The opener, ‘Hollywood Forever Cemetery Signs’ from his debut album Fear Fun, set the tone for the evening with each member of the band, as well as Josh himself on guitar, performing their roles to perfection. Note-perfect lyrics and whistle-clean instrumentation from the band on stage provided the expectant crowd with a live opener with which the studio version could have been easily confused, such was the skill of the band and the Father leading them, almost like an actual religious figure standing atop his pulpit of speakers to give his sermon.
The image of this saint-like figure however, soon evaporated, as, having passed his guitar off to a stagehand after the opening song, he could be seen writhing on the floor, knees bent and microphone in hand in a moment of expressive eccentricity that would doubtless be persecuted in any self-respecting church service. This heathenism continued throughout the set, as glasses were hung on microphone stands, and fans were greeted and hugged from within the press pit while Tillman moved seamlessly from the image of clean-cut Maryland native to the cynical folk artist he’s known and loved as.
Interspersed between material from both debut and most recent album, the Father mused on the nature of his relationship with the crowd, apologising for its stale mundane-ness and for having the audacity to ask them how they were doing half way through the set. His best efforts to distort this antiquated, stale routine were well received, especially when a fortunate fan’s phone was stolen in order to be gifted with a self-taken video of the man himself ending a song with an extreme close-up of his eye.
Above all else, the cynicism and cool, collected wit woven into this set was as strong as, what I assume was whisky that Tillman sipped out of a tumbler during a brief interlude. This charisma and charm, combined with the expert instrumentation of him and his band, made for one of the highlights of the festival, and certainly added to the numerous claims of Father John Misty being one of the best live acts around.
Words by Ben Kitto