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nappreciative indoor soccer players at kicks heard but did not know the rockingness, upstairs in the balcony lounge, that was Harry and the Potters, melting faces with a killer show. 
I thought for sure that between the big write-up in Houston Press and word of mouth, the venue would have sold out. And while it was a solid 110-15, there was still plenty of room, which is probably better anyway. Mostly the scene was misunderstood teenage girls swooning at the vanguard of the newest(ish) sub-genre of nerd-punk dubbed "Wizard Rock"
For certain, I looked extremely out of place, but that would be a fair statement for me most anywhere (except, perhaps in Thailand with a sheer flirty Jedi robe and dreadlocks). Nevertheless, the kids sure let me know it, boy howdy, with their "who's this creepy old guy?" and "hi, loser" looks. Whatever, I am too old to suddenly become cool. Louren, however, had no such problem. They sense her awesomeness and are awed.
Although the opening band was fun and talented, the Potters really transcend the conceit of writing songs where the lyrics are derived from the events of the Rowling novels. These guys are 
musicians with deep understanding of the various subgenres that their natural audience funks and grooves on.
- "Fred and George" opens like it could be Ween.
- One of the songs off the new album features hp yr 4 playing an americanized English-ska sax, and the kids skanked along in harmonious bliss.
- And, of course, at some point, the few teenage boys found something to mosh over.
- The moshing, however, wasn't for "Sectumsempra" a beautifully constructed bit of Grindcore that taps into one of the darker parts of book 6 with a monstrously violent spell that has a more human consequence of giving away a badly kept secret. "Sectumsempra" comes on so suddenly and with such rage that the little girls look genuinely terrified, then its over.
Harry Year four speaks to the audience alternately in character as the slightly introverted Harry, alternately in other rock personas: one minute he's twisted like Trent Reznor, the next he's a strutting Mick Jagger, the next he's "Paul's little brother." Harry Year 7 is more direct. He is who he is: a musician dressed up like a fictional character for a book that NO ONE HAS READ YET, BUT EVERYONE SEEMS TO RELATE TO.
The brevity of the songs themselves, besides having an overall characteristic of the early work and impatience of young minds literally bursting with ideas, has a great punk feel to it.
The many "1 minute, all concept" songs on their 1st album reminds me of the eponymous "They Might Be Giants" first release on BarNone. But this act can get old, bands risk becoming jaded King Missile-like Art rockers, and no one will dispute: there need only be one King Missile. Not to worry with the Potters, however, the lean and hungry of the 1st album becomes lean and muscular with the release of Harry and the Potters' second album, "Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock!" and even more so with the new "The Power of Love" album. Indeed, they've really hit their stride.
By "stride" I mean, we get into what makes Harry and the Potters' music more than just a novelty act: The books by Rowling are merely a jumping off point into the a universe of material that the DeGeorge brothers treat with intelligence and vigor. In doing so, 
Harry Potter at 15 and 18 year old reference points becomes a narration of a hostile wizarding world and an even more turbulent inner world. Because there can be an overwhelming level of cheese in taking on this perspective, the Potters deserve credit for even attempting to take on such dangerous artistic ground. But its more than an "A fir effort" -- Harry and the Potters avoid the Scylla of the condescending voice that adults tend to take when they are sotto vocce a teenager AND the Charibdis of the self-pitying voice that plauges wuss-rock and emo generally (emo is the derisible "Iron John" of middle-class teens; discuss). Instead, Harry any the Potters achieve an essential authenticity by relating to what's messed up about Harry's life and what's messed up about the Muggle world-at-large. Harry and the Potters nail disdain for incompetent adult leaders ("Cornelius Fudge is an Ass"), adolescent hubris ("This Book is so Awesome"), and loss ("The Godfather: Part II", "Dumbledore"). The audience cheers gratefully for the outlet of what might be otherwise inchoate.
To drive this point home, the band has a predeliction for all-ages shows at libraries and actually made up a summer reading list of other authors that really speak to them and (to whatever degree) express for them. At first I thought that was odd, but that was because I departed from the jumping off place too soon.
I actually wrote a book report on Cat's Cradle as part of my Junior year termpaper on the (then) complete works of Vonnegut. If my apple //e back home still works, I'll see if I can't somehow dig it out next week.
Last comment: these boys were in Austin yesterday, played a big set tonight and are playing two sets tomorrow in Dallas as part of their incredible pace of 47 shows in two months. That's hard work. Rock glory is hard work.
