Last night I took a break from the SxSW parties which tend to involve standing in crowds, drinking beer in the cold, and being aggravated about connectivity to mobile phones.

I went to go see Jonathan Coulton play a show at Antone's I had heard his music before, but never been to a live show. I walked down to the joint and waited in line to buy a ticket. The show was general admission, but with seating, so I was relieved to find I wouldn't have to stand all evening. I had fun chatting with people in line and with a nice Austin couple sitting behind me.

The show started pretty promptly and Paul and Storm came out. I had never even heard of them before and was blown away. Their stuff was great. The music was part of it, but the banter with the tech saavy geek crowd was hilarious. I highly recommend their show. During the break after their set, I bought the pack of their CDs.

Jonathan Coulton, or JoCo as he is known to fans, took the stage and was fantastic. Not as into the funny banter with the crowd, he has a more rock presence or charisma. Great song choices, swinging from tech anthems to more introspective songs. He definitely drove the crowd the way he wanted rather than bending to their will. I really liked the show. My favorite moment was his cover of They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse in your Soul. JoCo's version is much more soulful, touching on the need of those that watch over others to feel love in return. He did this not by changing the lyrics, but with his musicianship and voice. I found it remarkable.

So, go see JoCo and Paul & Storm if you get the chance. You won't regret it.