Father John Misty blesses Summerfest with sultry, strutting set

Like many, I was initially indisposed to be a fan of Father John Misty, whose Christian name is Joshua Michael Tillman. After leaving his four-year stint as Fleet Foxes’ drummer in 2012, he began a solo career in a folk-indie-rock style, with impressive songs featuring his intimate, literary and sardonic lyrics. Equally notable however was his seemingly pretentious persona, often on display during contentious and erratic interviews—think Letterman interviewing Joaquin Phoenix, Andy Kaufman, or Harvey Pekar.

Was he an arrogant jerk hell-bent on being intentionally provocative—often toward the music industry and his audience—or perhaps just a sarcastic, talented genius? That question was answered for me at a Father John Misty show in 2019—coincidentally, also on a Father’s Day weekend, at Summerfest‘s BMO Pavilion, on an exceptionally foggy and cold evening. Despite being inclined to vote for self-indulgent narcissist, that night I walked away a fan after a gracious and immaculate set of his compelling songs, while he fondly embraced both the cold and the audience.

Friday night at Summerfest’s Generac Power Stage was just my second time seeing him perform live, and I was eager to see which version of the artist would appear. Once again, that question was answered positively and immediately when Mr. Tillman hit the stage precisely at 9:30 p.m., this time on a perfect summer evening. Stripped of any former pretense—other than what one would expect from a handsome and charismatic star—he delivered a 90-minute, 15-song tour de force. With a killer backing band reminiscent of The Wrecking Crew, Mr. Tillman looked resplendent in a striking (what I hope was velvet) suit, generating both Jim Morrison and David Koresh vibes.

He began his sultry set with one of his biggest hits, “I Guess Time Just Makes Fools Of Us All,” which set the packed audience on its ear. What followed was a non-stop display of both his vocal and lyrical talent. While he did not speak directly to the audience, Mr. Tillman was fully engaged, strutting back and forth across the stage, dare I say it, as if he was delivering a sermon. While there were no low-lights, highlights included great versions of “Mr. Tillman,” “Nancy From Now On,” “I Love You, Honeybear,” and a wonderful rendition of the Beck-inspired “She Cleans Up,” which displayed all the talents of his amazing band. Mr. Tillman closed the set with another fan favorite, “Real Love Baby,” much to the delight of the enthralled fans.

Now a fan, I realize that those attributes which once may have seemed off-putting have now developed into his strengths, both personally and artistically. I look forward to seeing him a third time.