Wizard rock hits Rachael's

To Paul and Joe DeGeorge, Harry Potter is a maverick.

To honor their literary role model, the duo founded their nationally acclaimed J.K. Rowling-themed cover band “Harry and the Potters.”

They will play at 9 p.m. today at Rachael’s Cafe on Third Street.  

Along with the wizard’s wicked scar, they say Harry is a hero with the courage to challenge authority in the name of what he knows to be right.

“I really connected with that aspect of his character, and starting the band we wanted to amplify that,” Paul said.

The band’s lyrics, costumes and ideology centers around the Harry Potter realm.
Named one of Pitchfork’s Best Live Shows of 2005, Harry and the Potters have played more than 500 shows and have created three full-length albums. The band has been considered creators of the wizard rock genre, perpetuating the subculture of Harry Potter fandom.

Paul, vocalist and guitarist, will be dressed as Harry in year seven, while Joe, vocalist and on keyboards, will be dressed as Harry in year four. Drummer Mike Harpring, an IU alumnus, will be costumed as the ghost of Cedric Diggory.

“We want to give people an experience that’s different and, in some ways, representative of the experience of reading the books,” Paul said. “We’re trying to make the show a little more magical.”

In honor of Valentine’s Day, the show will be focusing on Harry’s first date as detailed in the book series.

“We are encouraging people to dress as Harry Potter or Cho Chang,” Paul said.
Women who plan to dress as Cho Chang are invited to the café from 6-8 p.m. for tea.
Paul said the brothers, who hail from Massachusetts, were heavily influenced by the punk philosophy of questioning authority. He said this played a part in the creation of the band.

“I looked at Harry as really similar to some of my punk rock heroes,” Paul said. “He’s really strongly independent. He’s not scared like the rest of the students.”

With the absence of a manager, the brothers say they incorporate this way of thinking into how they operate their band.

“We’re making up the rules for our band rather than letting the music industry dictate the rules,” Paul said.