Yo, Paul and Storm — Mexican in the Crowd

Last night IP and I made a trip to Vienna to see Paul and Storm play at Jammin’ Java.  I had spotted the tickets a few months ago and we both agreed that it would be a lark (even if trekking all the way to Vienna makes us wish that there were more venues in Maryland or in DC proper).  This is the third time we’ve seen Paul and Storm, first time sans Jonathan Coulton.  We both love Coulton, and missed the interaction the two acts have together, but Paul and Storm are funny as hell.  That’s all IP and I need for a good evening.

There was a nice mix of songs, though the recent Master of Song Fu stuff that they played didn’t thrill me — and if you’re going to play any Master of Song Fu stuff, throwing in the “Paul and Storm – Theme Song” would’ve been awesome (though I realize that it has a bunch of cliché sound effects that aren’t easily replicated in a live setting).  “Cruel, Cruel Moon” is cute, but we heard them doing sound checks with the majority of the song, so it was like we heard it multiple times.  “Count to Ten” was played, of course, and at this point Paul pointed out that the song was not making fun of Mexicans — though of course, who likes Mexicans?  Um . . . should I have raised my hand at that point?  Honestly, I’ve never been thrilled with that song as a whole.  But of the whole Paul and Storm oeuvre, it’s just a minor blip of dislike.  I know that the stuff about Mexicans was meant in jest, but — Paul and Storm, you do have at least one full-blooded Mexican sitting in the audience during your DC concerts.  Shocking, I know, but I am the whitest Mexican girl I know.  I geekily memorized all those Princess Bride quotes as a kid, too, but I draw the line at Lolcats — I know what it is, but I hate cats.

“Extremely Old with You” and “Your Love Is (Love Song with Metaphor)” are actually in contention for first dance at the wedding if IP and I don’t get a mariachi band (there I go with the Mexican thing again), so it was good to hear them played.  IP does point out, though, that our senses of humor are a little more developed that a bunch of our guests’; we’re pretty sure a multitude of people would take offense to either song, so they’ll probably be scratched, but 10 months out, it’s still on the list.

The whole set was pretty good, but “The Ballad of Eddie Praeger”, “Old Keith Richards”, “Barry Bonds Press Conference”, and “Other Places Jimmy Hoffa Isn’t” would’ve been greatly appreciated by both IP and me.  When the “other” Halloween song was introduced, I was hoping for “Lame Monster Party”, but alas . . .  Just saying.

Jammin’ Java itself?  Good venue, but a little out there for us on the east side of the Red Line.  The food was okay, but I regret that I didn’t listen to the advice to try the chili.  People started lining up for seats promptly at 6:30pm; it was a bit ridiculous given that there were still a few seats left when all were seated and ready to go.  And does everyone who attends these concerts get to go home before heading to the venue?  Seriously, IP and I were the only ones who looked like we had come from work.  Getting to the venue was pretty easy, though, and it wasn’t that much of a hassle when all was said and done.  And for the laughs?  It was well worth it.

Now, time to get ready for my arrr-erobic workout, a four mile run.