Up from Melbourne, in support of the main act tonight is Alexander Gow’s band, Oh Mercy. Beginning his set off solo with “Lady Eucalyptus”, the simple drum set is soon attended to by Rohan Sforcina, followed by the rest of the band for the sultry “Still Making Me Pay”.
Sultry is indeed the word for Oh Mercy’s set, particularly as it’s very much dedicated to tracks from their latest album, 2012’s Deep Heat, one of the most smouldering releases of the year.
An album which is heavily focussed on the bass guitar, “Drums” is a perfect song to showcase this. Eliza Lam is in the position to handle such brilliant riffs and is that woman on stage that every other girl can look up to – and yet she looks incredibly bored the entire time.
Gow is fantastic, shimmying – literally – charisma between the crowd and his bandmates. The chemistry between the members of Oh Mercy is second to none within today’s Australian music industry.
Performing every blow, screech and wail live is no easy feat but to the frontman of this well-oiled machine of a band, it’s clearly as easy as breathing.
“Deep Heat” and “Pilgrim’s Blues” are executed with entertaining finesse while perhaps one of the sexiest songs of last year, “My Man”, is delivered with such flat, yet appealing, bluntness as Gow sings from the female perspective. And he makes a very convincing woman indeed.
Finishing with a cover of Leonard Cohen, it’s a mutual feeling throughout the audience to want to see more (even Lam’s blank face begins to grow on you) of the brilliant support.
After gracing us with his majestic presence at Splendour In The Grass last year, the fans of Father John Misty could not be happier for such a triumphant return in such a short amount of time later.
Australia is the last stop after 10 months of touring, before heading back home to the United States for a few more festivals and a well-earned break. Being on the backend of such a long stretch of performing has absolutely no effect on the performance tonight.
Opening with the same track from his debut album, Fear Fun, “Fun Times In Babylon” has the crowd swooning from the moment Joshua Tillman, aka Father John Misty, opens his mouth to let out those opening notes.
With the red wine flowing (straight from the bottle), Tillman and his perfectly haphazard bandmates put on the classically entertaining show they’ve become infamous for.
“Only Son Of A Ladies Man” is performed with such poignancy, it’s impossible to not feel for the character in the song, while “Nancy From Now On” is the first time we hear from one demanding, face-chewing, punter.
“I’ve got no charming anecdotes of Brisbane,” Tillman deliciously deadpans. “Except I got drunk once by myself out on that promenade.” He points out the window of The Zoo to the Valley Mall and clears his throat; “That’s about as funny as that story gets.”
The crowd can’t help but fall into laughter as the band kick straight into “I’m Writing A Novel” and it’s far more awkward for the cramped crowd to dance than it is for the freewheeling Tillman up on stage.
Casting fondness upon his fans the only way Tillman knows how to, it’s still enormously touching and genuine: “I just want to gather you up in a picnic basket, take you to the transit centre, and leave you there for a week, just to see your face when I come back and rescue you.”
He introduces each one of his insanely tight band – a few ardent fans even recognising Jeffertitti (of Jeffertitti’s Nile) – before sighing, “there, that’s my least favourite part of the show done.”
Even the driest of dry wisecracks from Tillman makes himself crack a smile and shake his head.
His band is a motley bunch of pure, undiluted talent, charisma, and chemistry. It’s a rude shock to realise they’ve played the entire stretch of Fear Fun, from the chilling “Sally Hatchet” to the identity-crises of “Everyman Needs A Companion” (the song which holds the growingly notorious line stretched even further by Tillman tonight: “I never liked the name Joshua (who would!) / And I got tired of J (whoever that guy is…)”).
With hips of a crazed, confident teenage girl and inhibition to boot, Tillman and his band are simply divine. The rendition of the contemplative “Now I’m Learning To Love The War” is a highlight as he quips afterwards, “The microphone is a good tool for contemplation from a narcissist.”
Closing with a long, thrilling and then quite scary performance of “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”, it’s an adrenaline-rushing finish of crashing cymbals, strobing lights, and a violently flailing Tillman, to what is quite literally a flawless show.
So after arresting every heart in the room with the entirety of Fear Fun, what’s next for the encore?
Well, it’s nothing less than a glimpse into the future of Father John Misty with two new tracks.
“I love the kind of woman / Who walks over a man / Like, literally, like a marching band”, Tillman describes of his perfect counterpart. “She blames her excess / On my influence / But she’d be happy to hoover all my drugs.” It’s another fine line between humour and seriousness for the Los Angeles-loving musician.
Finally, we hear a love song – an actual love song – in the way only Tillman can deliver, in the warm dedication, “I Love You, Honey Bear”.
“Don’t ever doubt this, my steadfast conviction / My love, you’re the one I want to watch the ship go down with / I barely know how long a moment is / Unless we’re naked getting high on the mattress / While the global market crashes.”
Well, with a decree of passion like that, at least we know Tillman won’t be going soft on us anytime soon.
