Even if you haven’t seen the TV show, you’ve likely visited Portlandia before. The Portland of the show — full of over-the-top arts-and-crafters, do-good vegans, uptight punks and befuddled suburbanites — is inspired by actual people and places, according to Portlandia co-creator Fred Armisen.
“I know from traveling that that’s the part of town, whatever that’s called, that I always gravitate towards,” Armisen said in a conference call with The Diamondback. “I just always end up wherever there’s like a decent restaurant and coffee shop and record store or whatever,” he added. “That’s always where I end up.”
Armisen, a longtime Saturday Night Live cast member, and Portlandia co-creator Carrie Brownstein, a singer-guitarist in the rock band Wild Flag, will bring their IFC show to the 9:30 Club in Washington tomorrow as part of a live promotional tour for the show’s currently airing second season.
As to be expected from Armisen and Brownstein, who are both well-versed in the world they parody on the show, Portlandia‘s onscreen representation is honest, accurate, humorous and heartfelt.
Armisen and Brownstein’s vision is so affectionate to the city that it doesn’t even rain on Portlandia, despite the actual Portland’s reputation as a rainy city.
“Well, we only shoot in the summer, and we’re fairly adamant that there’s a distinction, and Portlanders would agree that there’s a distinction between Portland and Portlandia,” said Brownstein, who lives in Portland. “Portlandia being a hyper, kind of Technicolor, grainy version of Portland, and I think in order to film it — that surreality and vividness — we have to keep it sunny there. That’s one of the major distinctions, I think.”
On the comedy show’s live tour, Armisen and Brownstein have recreated popular characters from the show (including the feminist bookstore employees), shared unaired video clips, talked about their creation and played music. Previous live guests of the tour have included Thao and Mirah, Jeff Tweedy’s sons and St. Vincent.
At least one confirmed guest appearing with the show tomorrow is The Fiery Furnaces member and solo artist Eleanor Friedberger. While in the nation’s capital, however, it’s possible some local legends could show up.
“We should ask Ian [MacKaye, founder of Dischord Records and member of Minor Threat and Fugazi]. That’s a good idea,” Brownstein said. “Each live show has been such a spontaneous event that even though we’ve been able to get some wonderful guests in every city, often that’s come together kind of last minute.
“But people have been very gracious with their time so far,” she added. “So, hopefully, D.C. will be the same, and we do have a lot of great friends there. So, that’ll be fun.”
Both Armisen and Brownstein have fond musical memories of the Washington area. Armisen mentioned his Washington connection through his former punk band Trenchmouth — lead singer Damon Locks was from the area.
“[Damon] was a part of that scene growing up, and seeing bands and stuff, and we very much wanted to be like a D.C. band,” Armisen. “We loved Rites of Spring and Fugazi and Minor Threat and Lungfish … Circus Lupus, Nation of Ulysses — it was a huge influence on us. Not just us, but me also listening to music — I loved all the Dischord stuff. I really loved it all.”
“When I was in high school, so many of the records I was collecting were coming out of D.C., whether it was Lungfish or Slant 6 or Fugazi, Nation of Ulysses,” Brownstein said. “I can’t think of a more vital scene, a more sort of inspirational music scene for myself than Washington, D.C.”
Portlandia: The Tour will appear at the 9:30 Club for two shows tomorrow. Both shows are sold out.
rhiggins@umdbk.com
