Fred Armisen has built a career on quirky characters, most notably on Saturday Night Live and Portlandia. But before he was Goth Vince or Uncle Fester, Armisen was in the punk band called Trenchmouth. That punk music style informed his most recent Santa Barbara performance, Comedy for Musicians (But Everyone is Welcome) at the Lobero Theatre. On stage with enough instruments and equipment for an Arcade Fire concert, Armisen delivered a creative curation of music-based comedy to an enthusiastic audience on September 17.
Comedy for Musicians utilized nostalgic sound effects and popular American songs and styles to set up jokes. Armisen’s physical humor is unexpected, and his goofy demeanor plays well against his impressive drumming and guitar work. Prop comedy like drumstick finger gloves and digital maracas served as zingy fill between lengthier musical bits, some of which have the potential to be stretched from concept to full production. Audiences were treated to a “world tour” via regional folk guitar riffs, and a history of punk through a series of drumming styles — both of which require a certain base of knowledge and musical dexterity to be effectively funny.
“How do we really feel about classical music?” Armisen asked before dropping into a Bach piece on drums, infusing Trenchmouth energy into the concerto. (I would, in fact, watch a whole show of punk-rock percussion driving through classical music.)…