Wrock on, Chicago!

Remember last A&A Thursday when I mentioned Wizard Rock?  Well, I’m going to explain that to you.  I usually like to write about all the enormously interesting things I do in my wonderful state, Wisconsin.  However, this past Thursday I went to…wait for it…ILLINOIS!  Soooo exciting, I know.  So here's the situation.

I went with this awesome kid.  

This is the incredibly talented, incredibly nerdy Vincenzo.  We drove in the early afternoon and got to Chicago in record time.  Why were we going to Chicago, you may ask?  Well, to give the city credit, it has some pretty awesome museums, amazing popcorn stores, and lovely theatres.  However, we were not visiting for anything of those reasons.  Something else drew us into the often antagonized state of Illinois.  Two words.  Wizard.  Rock.  (Or, one word: Wrock.)

Wizard Rock is, simply, music based on the Harry Potter universe.  Band names, lyrics, etc. all stem from the novels and movies.  Nerdy much?  Yes.  Awesome much.  Yes.

The concert took place in Lincoln Square, a cute little area smooshed between a gelato shop and a cafe.  It was a beautiful day for an outdoor concert; the air was warm but there was a lovely breeze.  People were out with their dogs and strollers, walking the streets, sitting on cafe patios.  Vinnie and I got there quite early so we walked around a while, looking in an adorable old bookshop (I wish I could remember the name...it was something clever...) and a fun game shop.  We ate sandwiches on a bench in the square, and bought much-too-expensive Cold Stone Creamery ice cream (this was, sadly, before we discovered the gelato shop...for writers we're not very observant).  Then we found a really cool, really old antique store.

 The store had lovely vintage shoes and fascinators, typewriters and paintings, old bicycles, costume jewelry and pins, trunks and suitcases, and so much more.  I wanted to buy everything and decorate my house.  Well, maybe someday when I'm rich and famous and actually HAVE my own house.

I'm really looking forward to visiting vintage store and antique shops in England (or elsewhere in Europe).  I found a website online that listed the best resale/vintage stores in London.  I'm hoping to hit up as many as I can while I'm there.  Nothing can beat European vintage!

Okay, enough about that.  I'm here to talk about Wizard Rock.  So, finally, the bands showed up and started setting up their stuff in Lincoln Square.  The bands we went to see were Diagon Alley and, more importantly, Harry and the Potters.  As it got closer to the time the concert was going to start, the square started filling up.  The majority of the people there were parents with little kids.  Really, are these kids even old enough to know what Harry Potter is?  Vinnie suggested we go hang out with Joe (of the leads in HatP), their drummer, and two of their friends since they were the only people there around our age.  Being the shy, star-struck person that I am (yes, star-struck even by wizard rockers), I was hesitant, but being the bold, star-struck person he is, Vinnie dragged us over there and in a matter of seconds we were hanging out with the band.

After a short time, Diagon Alley took the stage.  They were not what I was expecting.  Their members consisted of one man wearing a kilt, one man with glasses and a highlighter yellow mohawk, one man wearing all black (including shorts) and a top hat, and one man wearing a hot pink shirt and a Gryffindor tie.  

The best part of the band was definitely the fiddler (top hat man (minus his top hat in the picture)).  They played a lot of folk rock music, which I love.  It actually seemed like they used to be a traditional folk rock band that realized they were more popular with a Harry Potter slant and changed all their lyrics to fit the books.  Not that I'm complaining.  Their music was fun and a good opener to HatP.

So now for Harry and the Potters.  I had listened to their music a bit before seeing them, but didn't know the lyrics to their songs.  Still, it didn't keep me from enjoying the concert.  They crowd loved them, and they loved the crowd.  They were rockers all right.  Joe climbed up a tree to sing part of a song and Paul (the other lead, below) ran through the crowd multiple times (He even knocked down a little girl right in front of me.  Being the unobservant person I am, I didn't catch her, or even notice she was on the ground until too late.  Oops.).  

They sang a lot of crowd pleasers, including the epic dang-along "Felix Felicis" and the epic sing-along "Save Ginny Weasley."  I have to admit, though I wasn't super excited about the concert before we left, I had a rollicking good time.  The two Harrys (as they liked to call themselves) were great performers and quite welcoming.  

Vinnie and I drove home, sharing favorite moments from the concert we just left.  Then we put in a CD Vinnie had purchased at the concert.

If you can't read that well, it says: Bob Dylan Sings the Songs of Harry and the Potters.  What?  We couldn't resist buying it for $5, if only to see what this was all about.  What it really is?  One of the Harrys (I don't know which) singing their songs in the voice of Bob Dylan.  And honestly, he sounds just like Bob Dylan!  We laughed so hard listening to the songs.  $5 well spent.

Overall, an enjoyable experience, even if we did have to go all the way to Illinois.  If you want a more audio-visual reenactment of our adventures, watch Vinnie's vlog.  I make multiple appearances in the car wearing Vinnie's brother's awesome sunglasses.

If you like this video, you'll love his other videos.  

Subscribe to his channel!
(PS: I make cameo appearances in the Halloween video, 
various Ireland videos, the cartwheel video, and more!)