Potter-Inspired Trio of Bands Rock Like Wizards at Library

Avery Hookey

The show was supposed to be held in the Albert E. Hinds Community Plaza adjacent to the library, but gray skies and scattered rain that forced the event indoors did not keep the mixed crowd of kids and adults from filling the Princeton Public Library's Community Room last Thursday for the Wizard Rock Concert. Nor did the cheering fans seem to mind that the doors opened half an hour after the announced time of 6 p.m.

The Whomping Willows, a Rhode Island-based one-man band, opened the show. Featuring an upbeat sound with bright guitar lines, Matt Maggiacomo played selections from his albums, The Whomping Willows and The Whomping Willows: Welcome to the House of Awesome, and closed the set with a cover of the Spoon song, "I Turn My Camera On." The song, "House of Awesome," includes clever lyrics from the perspective of the Whomping Willow, a vicious tree in the Harry Potter novels that cannot be sorted into one of Hogwarts' four houses by the sorting hat, which is why it starts its own house called the "house of awesome." A message of acceptance is conveyed in the line that the house is "a place for anyone without a home/regardless of race, religion, creed or sexual preference."

Composed of band members Lauren Fairweather and Nina Jankowicz, of Hillsborough, the Moaning Myrtles were next. Another J.K. Rowling creation, Moaning Myrtle is a ghost character who lives in a toilet and makes many unexpected and often comical appearances in spite of her proclaimed depression. Clear harmonies and angst-filled lyrics characterize the songs of the Moaning Myrtles. Lauren plays bass, and Nina plays piano. The albums that they have released thus far include Port-A-Potty and Toilet Humor.

The most polished of the three bands, the Remus Lupins closed out the show. The group's motto, "Fight Evil, Read Books," underlines their mission to promote literacy and music by touring libraries across America. The band, which hails from Los Angeles and is currently touring with the Whomping Willows, includes Alex Carpenter (vocals and guitar), Toby Karlin (drums), and Tyler Nicholas (bass). Playing selections from their albums, Spells from a Broken Wand and I Was a Teenage Werewolf, the group revealed a grasp of musical nuances and a lyricism that set them apart from the other bands.

Both the Moaning Myrtles and the Whomping Willows are supported by Cheap Rent Records, a small company led by Matt Maggiacomo of the Whomping Willows. Described on its website as "not quite a record label, but also not quite not a record label," Cheap Rent forms friendships with other bands, and helps them release and promote their music.

The bands in the wizard rock movement are against signing with corporate labels. Their independence makes them more accessible to fans; their concerts are not expensive, large, or exclusive.

The bands have timed their tour to coincide with the release of the seventh and last Harry Potter book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

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