Former SNL comedian, '90s rock band compare ICE to the KKK at BottleRock
May 23-Midway through a set of dedicated garage rock covers, the drummer for The Return of Jackie and Judy addressed the crowd from the back of the main stage. "Has anyone here ever seen The Ramones play?" Fred Armisen asked BottleRock on the balmy Saturday afternoon. A dozen or so hands shot up in the air, impressing guitarist and singer Carrie Brownstein. "That's a respectable amount - up here in Napa?" she asked. "Did they play Napa a lot?"
Without missing a beat, the "Portlandia" co-creator and former "Saturday Night Live" cast member chimed in. "I think they're a Napa band," Armisen deadpanned.
The Return of Jackie and Judy, a Ramones cover band from the members of Sleater-Kinney and comedian Armisen, brought a welcome dose of levity to the Napa music festival. Their 1:30 p.m. slot kicked off the second day for many festivalgoers, treating them to a sincere setlist of both popular and deeper cuts from the punk pioneers.
Joining them on guitar and vocals was Corin Tucker, who co-founded Sleater-Kinney with Brownstein in the Pacific Northwest during the 1990s riot grrrl music scene. Toko Yasuda, who's performed with Cate LeBon and St. Vincent, anchored the group on bass.
The foursome were committed to the bit. All appeared in leather jackets and jeans, defying the 68-degree and humid conditions. Lead vocal duties were passed around, but Brownstein performed the most, adopting her best Joey Ramone impression with her disheveled head of hair and swaggering rebellion. During "Teenage Lobotomy," she even smacked her head with her fist during the chorus. Later, when introducing "I Just Want Something to Do," she said, "I know this is a wine festival, but for those of you allergic to wine ... " before performing the notorious ode to sniffing glue.
Although the cover band started as a joke, The Return of Jackie and Judy is a serious act. The band originated last year after a performance on "Everybody's Live with John Mulaney" by Sleater-Kinney and Mulaney's fellow "SNL" alum Armisen - of Kim Wilde's '80s ode "Kids in America." Brooklyn Vegan reported that during the show's season wrap party, Mulaney requested Ramones covers from the budding group. They had such a good time that they made a setlist and performed two shows in Portland for Halloween. The cover band announced a short tour this month with BottleRock in the center.
During the set, Tucker and Brownstein both expressed their joy for covering The Ramones and it was clear they were having a good time. The infectious spirit permeated from the stage as the crowd shook and danced along to bonafide classics like "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Beat on the Brat."
The Ramones last show was in August 1996, but the cover band updated the lyrics for a 2026 audience during "The KKK took my Baby Away," when they substituted "I-C-E" in place of the Ku Klux Klan. The audience hollered in support, yelling out expletives against the federal agency.
It was the sole political moment as the rest of the show was dedicated to the gag. Armisen wore a wig of busheled black hair to evoke Tommy Ramone. Before counting in on "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," he asked: "We were wondering - are you guys punk rock?" The audience roared back in the affirmative; a sea of heads bobbed to the beat in the sun-drenched field.
The drummer and comedian is a noted stoic. Armisen infamously maintained a straight face while recommending the music of Death Grips and Hella during a taping of the "Rachael Ray Show" in 2013.
On Saturday, he nearly made it through the entire set without breaking character - until the end of "Sheena." The band missed the cue for the finale but regrouped, broke into some laughs and hit the final note. "That's the actual length of the ending," Armisen said in defense of the goof, revealing the only smile during a set of the utmost rock-and-roll sincerity.
The group returns to the Bay Area on July 19 to perform at Oakland's Mosswood Meltdown.
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This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 7:14 PM.