Fred Armisen • November 13, 2025 • The Depot
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
As much as we love comedy here at Utah Concert Review, we don’t always get to cover comedians. I think they’re afraid that we’ll spoil their jokes. But we would never do such a thing. We’ve always felt like the comedians tell the jokes better than we ever could, so we’ll leave it to them. If there ever was a comedian’s tour that suited what we do best, it’s Fred Armisen’s “Comedy For Musicians But Everyone is Welcome” tour.
Fred Armisen is personally one of my favorite comedians. His versatility not only as a legendary alum of Saturday Night Live, where he incorporated music into many of his famous sketches, but also in his hilarious show, Portlandia, with Carrie Brownstein, movie roles, and for some of my favorite talk show appearances has made him a prominent figure in comedy over the last two decades. His diverse resume in show business brought him to this point in his career, where he stood on the stage of The Depot in Salt Lake City to what looked like a sold-out show.
Fred Armisen walked out to a large applause. I was happy to see that this audience was in good spirits and ready to laugh. There was no opener, so Fred taking the stage to an already lively audience was a good sign for how the evening would go. Every once in a while, I’ll see a band, musician, or celebrity, and it will feel so surreal that I’m actually seeing them in person. Such was the case with Armisen. I’ve watched him on TV so many times over the years, and there he was right in front of me as I took photos.
Like I mentioned, I do not want to spoil this set. Therefore, most of my review will be in general terms. I’ll say this, I hope this becomes a special available for streaming because every music/ concert lover needs to see this show. Fred covers just about everything from local live bands to some of the “newest innovative instruments”. I kept thinking to myself, “How does he think of this stuff?” The observations he makes are spot on. Things I don’t think I’ve thought about, but once he mentions them, they would totally resonate.
I assume most Fred Armisen fans know that he is a skilled drummer. Those who might not have known were treated to seeing his skills on full display. Giving examples of styles throughout the eras of music. So much of his comedy has the impact that it does because he can actually play really well. On the guitar, too. He played so well that it’s one part so impressive, but another part something you don’t focus on because what he’s saying with his lead-ins and post-playing comments is so funny.
Fred Armisen’s casual approach to his stand-up created such a friendly atmosphere. It felt like we could just visit with him at any point in the show. I was grateful that the audience didn’t feel too comfortable. So often, an audience will feel the need to chime in because they feel comfortable doing so. They stayed focused on what Fred had to say and play. I really loved the relationship between this audience and Fred.
When Armisen was finished with his material, he gave the audience an opportunity to ask some questions. This was a really fun way to end the show. I thought the audience asked some good questions, too. Some asked about his time playing drums for The Blue Man Group. A lot of questions were focused on his time on Saturday Night Live or Portlandia. Someone asked him if he would answer a question in the style of one of his returning SNL characters, topical comedian, Nicholas Fehn. It was one of the highlights for me during the show.
Once the Q&A was over, Fred bowed and left the stage to a standing ovation. I think that, due to the nature of this show, I think an encore would have been a good way to end everything. That being said, it was one of my favorite nights of comedy I have seen in a while. It felt like the show was geared specifically towards me. I’d imagine that’s what most of the audience felt.
