One more reason to love Portlandia. Besides creating the smartest, funniest show on TV with Carrie Brownstein, Mr. Armisen has got mad musical skills. We all know Carrie Brownstein from her Sleater Kinney days, but I was oblivious that Fred was the drummer of the post-hardcore 90’s band Trenchmouth until Neighbor Dave pointed it out.
I just caught the last show of Fred’s Playlist Sunday residency at Union Pool in Williamsburg. I got a little hint of what his show might be like from the Portlandia tour with guests Hugh Cornwell and Adrock. As one of of the hand full of people at the sold-out Music Hall of Williamsburg old enough to enjoy the Stranglers and the Beasties the first time around, it dawned on me that Fred is one of us.
When I first heard of Fred’s show, I was curious. Was Fred riding his newly bolstered celeb to front a band of cronies and jock young ladies? Could we blame him? Surprise, surprise. Mr. Armisen came on stage solo with piles of instruments and a few pedals. He opened by playing, looping and layering into The Clash’s “Police on my Back”. It was a dope sing-along for me and the other dude in the audience over 30 years old. Sold! He ran through a bunch of tunes from The Jam, The Stranglers, The Damned, Big Boys, Generation X and even Tito Puente. His multi-noise, audience sampling cover of Devo’s “Beautiful World” was seriously dope. During the show, Fred said he got his inspiration from Woody Allen who plays the tunes of his youth on his horn at the Carlyle Hotel.
An awesome surprise came when Fred invited random audience member Davey Gunner from New York 80s hardcore band Kraut up on stage. They did an impromptu cover of the Sex Pistol’s “Pretty Vacant” with Dave on the mic and Fred playing guitar and kick drum. When Davey leaned into the gaggle of young burgbimbettes and sang “we’re so pretty, oh so pretty…….vacant”, I could guess the irony was lost on 98% of the audience. But fuck it, education, nostalgia or lack of either didn’t really matter. A warm spring night, cute bouncing girls and jamming out your favorite tunes really trumps all of that. Cross your fingers and hope that Fred brings his show to a Sunday near you. Well done, Fred. One of us.
