October 5th was a typical Tuesday night for Butler students. Walking to evening classes, grabbing dinner at the dining hall, oh, and Father John Misty performing at Clowes Hall. 

While the historic Performing Arts Theater has housed a star-studded selection of guests such as Maya Angelou, Sir Elton John, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Misty was no stranger to the big stage. In addition to his own act, the veteran showman brought newcomer English pop-star Suki Waterhouse to open. 

Did I buy a ticket just to see Suki Waterhouse? Maybe. Am I ashamed of this? No, she was fantastic. Opening with my favorite song, “Moves,” Waterhouse brought the melodramatic energy to the stage with her beautiful, sultry voice and suave movements. Suki Waterhouse is a cool girl, plain and simple. Everything from the way she dressed in a casual pantsuit, to her charming English accent and demeanor, and the suave way she moved with pomp and circumstance implied this. Waterhouse continued to capture viewers attention as she floated between songs from her latest album “I Can’t Let Go,” showcased her impressive vocal range with a beautiful transition from her song “Brutally” to Mazzy Star’s “Fade into You,” and ended with a crowd favorite, “Good Looking”. Safe to say my $60 ticket purchase was well worth the money even before the main act.

Following the opener, FJM had big shoes to fill; he did so with grace. From the moment the “Real Love Baby” singer came onto the stage, the crowd’s eyes were on him until the moment he left. Let me tell you, I have been to some good concerts before. I saw Taylor Swift at Lucas Oil, Thomas Rhett at Ruoff, Wallows, Coin and Still Woozy all at Old National Centre, and while all of these performers were great, this was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Father John Misty was Magnetic. Standing on a stage with nothing but a microphone and his band behind him, Misty preformed smooth, bluesy jazz ballads like “Chloë” and “Buddy’s Rendezvous,” lamented a breakup in “We Could Be Strangers,”questioned religion in “God’s Favorite Customer,” and explored insecurity and adultery in “The Ideal Husband”. You might be thinking, that is a lot. Yes, it was a lot. Fellow Staff Writer and concert goer MC Swanson (23’) and I were processing the event for days to come. 

‘That was a spiritual experience,” MC recalled on our way home from Butler. No truer words. Father John Misty was funny, morbid, depressing, in love and relatable, all at once. He mocked capital America, professed his love for his wife, told a story about Aliens all while singing with a deep, rich voice that’s smooth as butter. 

Father John Misty is eccentric, his songs are wild, his magnetism resembles that of a cult-leader;  It was the best concert I’ve ever been to by far.