The Englert Theatre was packed as excited attendees took their seats for Fred Armisen’s sold-out show, “Comedy for Musicians but Everyone Is Welcome,” on Oct. 15. By the time Armisen stepped out onto the Englert stage, the audience was already laughing, foreshadowing more amusement to come.
The Saturday Night Live comedian started the show with a short film of highlights from his career, movie, and TV show appearances, eliciting cheers from the audience.
Many attendees had heard of Armisen through his comedic sketches on SNL and his comedy series, “Portlandia.”
“I’ve grown up watching SNL, so I just got to see him as I was growing up,” attendee Madeline Nugent said. “It’s cool to be able to see him live.”
Armisen began his comedic bit with music-themed impressions, using his facial expressions and body language to convey the experience of hearing a band play in four-fifths tempo, accompanied by music to prove how fast-paced the tempo is. He made fun of targeted ads crossing his social media, with instructional music to accompany the most random ads.
Armisen lamented the irony of being stuck in line at a theme park while energetic music plays, using Jurassic Park as an example.
He later showcased his own musical skills by incorporating his drum kit into a Bach piece, garnering enthusiastic cheers from the audience. As proof his comedy show was indeed for everyone, Armisen explained the different types of major and minor chords on the guitar.
He used those guitar chords to show his interpretations of different types of guitar playing across the globe.
“He just has this encyclopedic knowledge of language and music,” attendee Becki Plunkett said.
The comedian shared when he was in the punk rock band, “Trenchmouth,” they performed at Gabe’s in Iowa City. As an ode to punk rock, he walked the audience through a 30-year drumming history of the genre, which was a favorite of multiple attendees.
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“It was perfect and accurate,” attendee Bill Barry said. “I grew up in that era. I know his tastes in music from being a 50-year-old, 60-year-old man playing punk rock back in the day.”
During the show, Armisen incorporated the audience into the performance by instructing them to create specific sound effects: fearful clapping, supportive booing, and murmuring during a theatrical performance.
“His latest recording is on sound effects,” Plunkett said. “He just has an interest in so many esoteric things like that. I think his brain must be firing a mile a minute all the time.”
Another audience member’s favorite moment from the show was when Armisen shared text messages between him and his late friend and fellow musician and recording engineer, Steve Albini. The two musicians had text conversations critiquing numerous national flags. While Armisen loved the symmetry of the flag of Switzerland, Albini did not share his sentiment.
The comedian ended his show with a Q&A with the audience. Audience members asked questions regarding his SNL skits, his cameo in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and his favorite character in “Portlandia.”
“I loved the random depth, and just the things it brought out that were unexpected trivia at the end,” attendee Erin Skipper said.
Armisen closed his show with a comedic rendition of “Blackbird” by The Beatles, provoking loud laughter from the audience. By the end of his performance, he was thanked with a standing ovation and thunderous applause.
“I just kind of liked the awkward goofiness of it all,” attendee Stephen Cardinal said. “It was the perfect form of humor that I just needed right now. I just needed to laugh.”