Concert Review

Harry and the Potters at The Masquerade

Rating: Five Stars

Harry and the Potters is a rock band made up of two brothers, Joe and Paul DeGeorge, who both dress as Harry Potter and sing songs about events in all six “Harry Potter” books. I’ve heard a little about the group — and the spin-off band Draco and the Malfoys — so when I read in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s AccessAtlanta that the band was going to play at the Masquerade for only $10, I knew I had to go.

It turned out to be a supremely good decision.

OK, I have to admit that I’m a huge Harry Potter fan; I’ve read every single book in the series multiple times. I like all the movies, and I identify with the Ravenclaws. While this concert was definitely for me, it may not be for the casual rock fan.

Joe and Paul are incredibly passionate about what they do, as is their friend “Charlie Weasley” who plays the drums. During the concert, they frequently jumped around during their upbeat songs, crowd surfed, and one of the brothers even wandered into the crowd at one point, playing his saxophone.

Harry and the Potters’ songs are infectious rock, played with a fairly simple guitar-drum combo and mixed with a good dose of synthesizers and the occasional saxophone or whistling solo. The song lyrics were equally fun; for example, the refrain of “Platform 9” goes: “Oh the bus don’t go to Hogwarts/ You gots to take the train/ Bus don’t go to Hogwarts/ You gots to take the train.” Now these tunes didn’t just apparate from thin air. They came from the band’s three albums — including “Voldemort Can’t Stop the Rock!” — that the brothers released independently and reportedly recorded in their parents’ living room.

As the crowd learned the rhythm of each new song — I’m betting that most of us had never heard this music before — most found themselves instantly hopping, bopping and even doing impromptu dances. I was among that number; I just couldn’t help it. Harry and the Potters’ set of about a dozen or so songs involved a lot of call-and-response to make the audience active participants in the performance. It started with the opening song “New Wizard Anthem,” where we were told to shout “Wizard” or “Rock” on cue. Such antics made me feel even closer to the two brothers.

If you’re interested in listening to the band’s music, check out its Web sites at www.eskimolabs.com/hp or www.myspace.com/harryandthepotters. I recommend Harry and the Potters to every fan of the book series, and would encourage you to catch them next time the group is in town.

By Emma Harger / VOX Staff