Father John Misty
Channel 24
March 27, 2026
Photos by Paul Piazza
Father John Misty recently played to a capacity crowd at Sacramento’s Channel 24. Misty is the stage persona for Josh Tillman, who has become widely known for his eccentric style and sardonic wit. He is also a damn good songwriter.
Onstage, he is part snake oil salesman, part mystical poet, and pure showman. Starting out as a member of Fleet Foxes before going solo, being in both a band and a solo artist has helped him to develop as a live performer and songwriter, and both of those disciplines were on full display throughout the evening. Misty has defined himself as a showstopping live performer with an engaging, somewhat cynical and confrontational relationship with his audience. The night in Sacramento carried on that tradition.
Early in the show he called out those in the crowd who kept shouting “Sactown!” “We can’t go on with this Sactown,” mused Misty. He paused and added, “Because it’s named after a Holy Sacrament.” Which is true: “Sacramento” is indeed the Spanish translation of the word “Sacrament.”
This tour has featured songs from his expansive career, but with a strongly leaning towards tunes from his strong 2024 record Mahashmahama. In fact, he opened with an almost 10 minute version of the song “Time makes fools of us all” from that record. It’s a great song as are a few others he played off the record.
Later in the show, “Mental Health,” also off the newer record, featured a stunning arrangement with three keyboardists and a particularly luscious sax part at the end from Tony Barba. The entire 7-piece band were quite amazing and in full touring throttle when they played at Channel 24. Most of the players have been with Misty for over a decade, and they work fluently together. Mahashmahama is the sixth record by Father John Misty and most of the band. Lyrically it’s a song from the record that could be cited as an example of Misty’s ongoing odyssey of trying to keep it together, and one of the appeals of how music is how decades-long self-examination through his lyrics.
“I Love You, Honeybear,” from the album of the same title, is a sweeping view of Misty’s decade-plus love for his wife Emma, an accomplished filmmaker, who has directed some of his music videos. It’s an absolutely breathtaking song and the band and Misty completely overwhelmed the crowd with this one. It was a beauty.
As the night continued on, it was apparent we were being treated to a great one by all the smiles, hugs, and massive singalongs throughout the show. But don’t tell Misty you love him. When someone shouted that out. He paused and replied, “I don’t love you. I don’t even know you,” which got a ripple of laughs as we waited for more.
Opening the show were the two guitarists from Misty’s band David Vandervelde and Chris Dixie Darley. They played a duo set with some programmed drum trucks with Vandervelde, who sings in a voice similar to J. Mascis, on guitar and Darley on bass.
