Father John Misty brought his Mahashmashana Tour to Edinburgh’s Usher Hall, with his signature blend of folk-rock theatrics and razor-sharp wit. The former Fleet Foxes drummer, Josh Tillman — better known as Father John Misty — commanded the stage with the charismatic swagger of a sardonic preacher, delivering a set that balanced cynicism with surprising moments of vulnerability.
The evening began with Butch Bastard, whose haunting baritone and minimalist arrangements proved the perfect appetiser for the main event. The solo project of producer Erik Henriksen created an atmosphere of brooding intensity that gradually won over a restless crowd. He seemed genuinely delighted to be in town. Songs from the new album Death Valley, Locked Out Of Disneyland (Everything You Had Is Gone), and If It Wasn’t For The UFOs went down particularly well with the audience.
By the end of his brief but impactful set, the audience had been thoroughly primed for the night’s headliner.
When Tillman finally emerged, bathed in moody red lighting, the crowd erupted. Wearing his customary slim-fit suit, he launched into a 20-song set drawn from across his discography, his rich voice soaring through the venue’s perfect acoustics.
His seven-piece band were extraordinary — tight and textured with layer upon layer of sound — creating a solid foundation for Father John Misty’s theatrical delivery and lyrical prowess to take centre stage. Drew Erickson, Jonathan Wilson, Dan Bailey, Eli Thomson, David Vandervelde, Chris Dixie Darley, Jon Titterington, and Kyle Flynn created an unforgettable sound.
It’s difficult to put Josh Tillman in a box. He has a unique style — a folk songwriter whose every line is a story. He’s charismatic, but not overly chatty with a crowd that clearly adored him. He’s a 1940s crooner, a rapper, a blues singer and a rocker in front of one of the tightest bands around.
The set opened with the 2024 single I Guess Time Just Makes Fools of Us All, an eight-and-a-half-minute laconic story song. The audience was immediately engaged and roared in delight.
Mid-set highlights included the humorous Mr Tillman, a stripped-back Nancy From Now On that showcased the raw power of his voice, and a particularly hard-hitting version of the trippy God’s Favourite Customer, which felt especially poignant. The crowd sang along to every word, their voices forming a choir that momentarily transformed the concert hall into something resembling a secular church.
The last four songs of the main set were exceptional, building the crowd’s excitement to a fever pitch. All four were new to the audience, drawn from Tillman’s 2025 album Mahashmashana. Full-on rock and roll Screamland was followed by two ballads — Summer’s Gone and Mental Health. The climax came with the album’s title track, Mahashmashana.
The Usher Hall, at its best, adds to the whole experience — and this was one of those nights. The music burst off the stage, filling every corner of the room. It gave me goosebumps.
The five-song encore began with an old favourite, I’m Writing a Novel, that had the crowd singing every word.
Holy Shit, Tillman’s apocalyptic love song, was delivered with such intensity it left the audience momentarily stunned into silence before erupting into applause. He closed the night with the title track from his breakthrough album, I Love You, Honeybear, with a performance that somehow managed to be both ironic and deeply sincere.
As the final notes faded, Tillman took a theatrical bow before disappearing offstage, leaving behind an audience that had been thoroughly entertained — and ultimately moved. Father John Misty may traffic in irony and scepticism, but his performance proved that beneath the carefully constructed persona, there is a genuine artist with something meaningful to say — and the power to make even the most jaded believer feel something real again.
Words: Graeme White
Pictures: Allan Petrie @albabrae