Father John Misty at Vicar Street 24 October 2015

The sound of Serge Gainsbourg’s J’taime…moi non plus as an intro song may have seemed an unusual choice but when it comes to Josh Tillman’s alter ego Father John Misty, it was entirely appropriate. His mischievous sense of humour has recently seen him trolling Ryan Adams and Taylor Swift, so why not begin the show with such an iconic song. On stage, Father John Misty is like a louche American televangelist.

He slinked and sashayed around the stage commanding attention; not in some kind of Oh look at me sort of way, but simply via the sheer zeal he puts into his performance. He barely spoke to the crowd all night other than to introduce his band and say “Thank you.” But he had no need to babble on. Father John Misty had the audience at Vicar Street eating out of the palm of his hand.

Like all the stereotypical preacher grotesques we’re aware of, Father John Misty had his own devoted disciples, one of which made her way on stage, perhaps to rid herself of some foul demon or a bad hangover. We’ll never know for sure but she didn’t get the holy interaction she expected and was quickly escorted off stage by security.

The music was as sweeping and lush as a David Lean movie. It was easy to be carried away in the moment when the music tugged so strongly on the heart and mind. Songs like I Love You, Honeybear and Strange Encounter were stirring, setting a high benchmark for the remainder of the show. Shorn of studio production many of the songs (Nancy from Now On, Sally Hatchet) were more robust and rowdy in a live setting.

Tillman showed he doesn’t require a wall of music to sing behind. A stunning rendition of Bored in the USA showed how captivating a sole individual with a guitar could be. Tillman’s vocal presence filled the room every bit as much as when the full band was playing. His voice – far more than just technically good – swelled with emotion and intensity. A depth of warmth and feeling radiates from Father John Misty. When the music has such an epic quality, it demands a performance to match it in a live environment. With expectations high, Father John Misty gave perhaps one of the year’s best shows in Vicar Street.