Clips and theme song from Carrie Brownstein’s upcoming ‘Portlandia’ comedy series

In episode 2 they fall in with a cult leader played by guest star Jason Sudeikis, center.

This summer the Independent Film Channel announced that it would be producing a sketch comedy show starring Saturday Night Live’s Fred Armisen and our own rock goddess Carrie Brownstein, called Portlandia. Now not only does it have an air date, but video clips to give us a sneak peek and Brownstein singing fantastically silly theme song.

Premiering January 21st and continuing every Friday at 10:30/9:30 central, Portlandia introduces us to ourselves, our adbsurd, PDX selves. Each episode’s character-based shorts draw viewers into “Portlandia,” the creators’ dreamy campy rendering of the town we know and love.

“I love Portlandia. It really represents so much of what I love culturally, musically and in so many other ways,” said Fred Armisen. “This started as just a fun summer activity for Carrie and me. We’d be hanging out in Portland and shooting whatever made us laugh, and that evolved into Portlandia.”

Portlandia inhabitants include but are not limited to: the owners of a feminist book store; a militant bike messenger; an artsy couple who attach cut-outs of birds to everything (“put a bird on it!”); an organic farmer who turns out to be a cult leader; an adult hide and seek league; and a punk rock couple negotiating a “safe word” to help govern their love life.  The first episode depicts Armisen and Brownstein meeting with the Mayor of Portland (Kyle MacLachlan) who solicits the duo to write a new theme song for the city. This segment features a cameo from the real mayor of Portland (Sam Adams) playing the assistant to MacLachlan’s “mayor.” Much of the series’ original music is written and performed by Armisen and Brownstein.

An assortment of guest stars inhabit Portlandia including Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Sex & The City), Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), Selma Blair (Legally Blonde, Hellboy), Heather Graham (The Hangover), Edie McClurg (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), Kumail Nanjiani (Michael & Michael Have Issues), Jason Sudeikis (SNL, The Cleveland Show), and Gus Van Sant (Milk). Singer/songwriter Aimee Mann also guest stars, alongside James Mercer (The Shins), and local Portland musicians Jenny Conlee and Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) and Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney).

A good example of all the themes you’re going to see throughout the show is the opening theme song, sung with fervor and authenticity by Carrie Brownstein.

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The first video below is a short intro to the show with the following being a slightly longer look behind the man of the show Fred Armisen, then a great music video about how the dream of the 90s lives on in Portlandia…