Touring wizards to give magical concert

You can wrock out at Schenley Plaza on July 25.

The extra “w” stands for “wizard,” as in the… You can wrock out at Schenley Plaza on July 25.

The extra “w” stands for “wizard,” as in the main character in the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling, but the sentiment is the same – while The Whomping Willows, The Remus Lupins and The Mudbloods might not use magic, they certainly do have the ability to conjure a crowd.

Karen Brooks-Reese, from the teen department at Carnegie Library, recalls the first wizard-rock performance she ever set up with Carnegie libraries, which was also the first wizard-rock show she attended. When more than 350 people came to the show, she realized she had found an event worthy of repeating. Back then, in July of 2006, she was the one who called the bands.

Today, the contacting runs in the opposite direction. The bands normally call ahead to let Brooks-Reese know when they can be in Pittsburgh, and she decides whether or not the dates fit for a potential event.

In the case of wizard rock, a possible event seems to entail the opposite ideals of a library – after all, isn’t rock, even if it does have a “w” attached to the front, loud? The difference isn’t so overpowering.

“You’re taking books and music and making them the same thing,” said Brooks-Reese. In her view, wizard rock has particularly strong implications for the teen books department, which is appealing to a demographic expected to be making music a very large part of their lives.

Brooke-Reese believes people can experience literature even when not reading it. “There’s more to literacy than sticking your nose in a book,” she said. Typically the group names make reference to an occurrence or character in the book.

Visiting the Wizrocklopedia online reveals a plethora of titles from the obvious “Harry Potters” to what could be construed as riddles, such as Snuffles and the Furry Little Problem.

If the last title doesn’t recall literary events, it might be worth speaking to a wizard-rock enthusiast. For example, the Pittsburgh Area Wizards, or P.A.W., is an organization dedicated to wizard rock. The president, Rose Creek, leads in efforts to connect wizard-rock groups to possible venues, arranges for fellow enthusiasts to meet before concerts and, additionally, holds bimonthly meetings.

In fact, the Harry Potter fan world has even extended its actions so far into real events that it has reached politics. The Harry Potter Alliance, of which P.A.W. recently became a chapter, is aimed at mobilizing younger voters.

Although it isn’t certain yet whether or not the members of P.A.W. will be recording the performance and trading the show tapes for years to come, there was recently a “Wrockstock” held outside St. Louis on Memorial Day. Brooks-Reese is a witness to the dedication of wizard-rock fans.

“We have people who have come to every show,” said Brooks-Reese.

However, the wizard-rock concert in Schenley Plaza isn’t aimed at one select group of die-hard fans. As Brooks-Reese sees it, the bands have similar goals as the library, in that their music about a literary series is ultimately guiding listeners back to the original canon. While The Remus Lupins’ “More of a Physical Being” is about the fantasy game of Quidditch and the fictional character of Viktor Krum, the lyrics stay simple, as in the lines “When I danced, you smiled / And whispered something / But I could not hear you / Nah-nah-no.”

While some casual prospective listeners might be turned off by the esoteric subject matter and the simple lyrics, the music still carries an upbeat pop-punk vibe. The geeky infusion has rendered a surprisingly fresh take, honest and straightforward in its presentation and untainted by starry ego.

In addition to bringing refreshing music to the scene, the members of the band might be surprising in person, as well. While a name such as The Remus Lupins might suggest a group of players, Brooks-Reese was surprised to meet the group for the first time and discover that it was only the leader, Alex Carpenter, who was an actual member. Although his music features more than one voice, such as the backing chorus in “Looking for Trouble,” Brooks-Reese was unsure whether or not there would be accompanying musicians with Carpenter this year.

Regardless, she is optimistic, as is Creek, who will be meeting fans before the show as always. The concert begins at 6 p.m. at Schenley Plaza.