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Harry Potter: First books, then movies, now rock
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Dovetailing with the latest round of Harry Potter mania, Paul and Joe DeGeorge, decided to rock the wizard's world this summer with more than 60 concerts in 34 states and Canada.
"Everyday is so much fun, and everybody is Harry Potter-friendly," said Paul DeGeorge, who sings and plays guitar.
Paul DeGeorge, 28, and Joe DeGeorge, 19, make up Harry and the Potters, the "wizard rock" band from Norwood, Mass. They started their busy 2007 summer tour on June 1 in New York City, and last month Albuquerqueans got a glimpse of what Harry and the Potters is about.
Mitch Diaz, 21, who attended the concert, said he was familiar with the band's music. Diaz is a fan of the Potter movies and books and enjoys the way Harry and the Potters play with the story.
"I like the fantasy they create — being able to read something and go to a little different world," Diaz said.
The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County library system presented Harry and the Potters' concert in the South Broadway Cultural Center. Cultural activities coordinator Riann Powell said the band contacted her because they wanted to focus their tour in libraries.
The concert drew 215 people of all ages.
"It was educational. They talked about books, the importance of reading," Powell said. "It gets teens and adults more interested in reading the book."
"We had a blast in New Mexico; wonderful people at the show," Paul DeGeorge said.
The band started five years ago when the brothers were organizing a backyard concert with friends and other bands. The show was canceled, but the brothers began composing songs about Harry Potter.
"I was reading the books for the first time, and, suddenly, the idea just popped into my head," DeGeorge said.
"Rather than having Harry playing with his friends, we had two Harrys."
DeGeorge claims to be Harry Potter of seventh year, and Joe DeGeorge, of the fourth. They both dress in the style of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's uniform with their gray V-neck sweater, white shirt and gold-and-red-striped tie of the Gryffindor House, Harry's home.
With three full-length albums — self-titled, "Voldemort Can't Stop the Rock" and "Harry and the Potters and the Power of Love" — these siblings compose songs inspired by J.K. Rowling's book series. The lyrics talk about the adventures of the boy wizard from Harry Potter's point of view.
Some of their song titles include "Save Ginny Weasley," "Wizard Chess," "The Fourth Triwizard Champion" and "The Weasle and Phoenix Song."
Yes, you need to have read the books or have watched the movies to understand their music.
"The thing with Harry Potter is that it has this huge massive appeal so that little kids can even talk it with their grandparents," Paul DeGeorge said.
Harry and the Potters see the win-win relationship with their fans. Children read Harry Potter books, parents are happy about it, and they all enjoy a concert in a library, bookstore or school.
The band also encourages fans to read more. At "Summer Reading List for 2007", they invite readers to bring a book report to one of their summer shows to win prizes.
Harry and the Potters is at the forefront of a movement called "wizard rock," that now consists of about 200 bands. Others include Draco and the Malfoys, the Remus Lupins and the Whomping Willows.
"It is flattering and amazing to see a lot of kids starting bands like us and playing for the first time," Paul DeGeorge said.
Wizard rock bands have common attributes: They are named after a specific character; the lyrics are often humorous and simple; their songs are based on a character's point of view; and band members dress in character onstage.
Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys may be enemies in the books but are buddies on wizard rock tour. The two groups were scheduled to play together from this week until Aug. 19.
The bands will take a three-day break after today, the day before the final book in the Rowling series comes out.
"We take three days off, so we can relax and read the book," DeGeorge said.
Some people tried to schedule the band during these days.
"No way. That's book time," Joe DeGeorge said he told them.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" reached No. 1 on Amazon's bestseller list the first day it could be ordered in advance, six months before its release.
"We are hoping we can get free copies," Paul DeGeorge said.
The mystery and rumors surrounding the last installment have attracted more sales than the previous books.
"The books hook you in with cliff-hangers," said 13-year-old John Mahoney, who went to see Harry and the Potters in Albuquerque with his sister Isabel.
The fifth movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," opened in theaters last week.
"I'm not as much into the movies," Isabel said. "The books work much better for me."

