Kevin Bronson on April 17th, 2013

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Who: Father John Misty in the Gobi Tent
In 3 or Fewer Words: Cult of personality.
Memorable Because: Is there a Gospel of Father John Misty in the works yet? Can I start writing one? Josh Tillman is an outsized personality in a great lake of minnows, the rare performer who has elevated schtick (not a pejorative here) to a high art of subversiveness. In the hands of many singers, especially those who can nail the notes, his beautiful comi-tragic folk narratives would be enough, but as his banter reminds you, Father John Misty shows are performances, and entertaining as hell at that. And as the many female fans in the Gobi Tent would testify, he is a rather beautiful man. On Sunday, his humor has a lot of wry, you-had-to-be-there charm; at various junctures he questioned his own wisdom for wearing white pants, expressed worry for the safety of Coachella fans who were not equipped with light sabers and welcomed R. Kelly to the stage … (comic pause) … “next weekend, when Phoenix plays.” The songs are magnificent and magnificently delivered, but there’s always context. “Man is a pretty incredible creature,” he told the faithful on Sunday. “We see a desert like this, and we think, ”˜What this place needs is an Applebee’s … and maybe some neon lights.'”
What I’d Tell My Friends Who Were at Pretty Lights: Pretty light.
– K.B.