Photos by Mia Min Yen
J. Tillman’s sarcastic alter ego Father John Misty conquered Central Park with a sold out SummerStage show at Rumsey Playfield. With a charismatic stage presence, FJM opened the set with “I Love You, Honeybear”, the title track off his well-acclaimed second album. The night featured tunes from both Fear Fun and I Love You, Honeybear, and included Tillman walking into the crowd several times, once even using a fan’s cell phone to take a video of him singing. Moreover, Rumsey Playfield turned into a giant karaoke venue when he began singing his witty tune “Bored in the USA”. For the encore set, Father John Misty did a solo acoustic version of “I Went to the Store One Day” and a full band version of “Everyman Needs a Companion” before saying good night to the 5,000 New Yorkers.
Folk/rock singer-song writer Angel Olsen and New York-based super group Summer Moon (Nikolai Fraiture from The Strokes, Erika Spring from Au Revoir Simone, Tennessee Thomas from The Like) opened the show.