Hosted at the Button Factory Arts just minutes from campus, The Lovegoods CD release show took place last Saturday July 8.
Wizard rock, a genre of music that based on J.K. Rowling’s ever popular Harry Potter Universe, grew out of the United States in the early 2000’s. The Lovegoods are a relatively new Kitchener-native wizard-rock band, with a powerful yet fun sound, and this band wizard-rocked out creating a magical night for all.
The building is beside a set of train tracks, and on arrival you would think that the Hogwarts Express could pull up at any moment to take you away. Entering the building and walking up the narrow stairwell, you could hear the voices and music playing above before stepping into a warm, dimly lit venue filled with music intermingled with the chattering of the crowds inside. The brightness of the stage lights diffused throughout the room, giving off a glowing feeling.
The ticket seller/merchandise booth strung with fairy lights greeted guests. The refreshments table too was lit with fairy lights scattered in between plates and mason jars of chocolate frogs and sweet/savoury wands.The butterbeer was $1 with free refills.
The couple rows of seats facing the stage were full and in front of them sat some kids and their parents on the floor. Many of them were wielding their own wands and sitting restlessly, one chasing a laser light. One women wore a hat lit in blue lights. The event was all ages, open to wizardfolk and muggles alike, and both children and adults were showing Harry Potter spirit with themed clothes.
The Lovegoods describe their own sound as “a mix of Yeah Yeah Yeahs and some of our songs are a little bit harder and rockier than them.” Elsa, the lead singer and resident Hufflepuff continues, “A lot of the songs that I write are very melody driven. So then I would compare myself to a band called Elsey.”
Truly, it is an apt comparison. The opening song “Share My Toilet” was an extremely catchy hook, about the romantic sentiments of Moaning Myrtle.The powerful vocals that Elsa, the lead singer and resident Hufflepuff, delivers in “Hufflepuff Anthem” lead to cheers in the audience. The band continued to wow, bringing Christmas to July, and getting us to sing “Happy Christmas Harry” with them like we were the angel-voiced Year Ones in Flitwick’s choir.
We were even treated to a brand new song, not appearing on the CD, an empowering song for the Ginny Weaselys of the world called “Invincible”. Many of the songs, from “Share my Toilet” to “Werewolves”, take on the voices of the characters bringing you in all the more into the world of wizard rock.
“The [band] name comes from my favourite character Luna Lovegood,” Elsa said, “I thought it had a good ring to it, The Lovegoods. Originally it was just myself, but I knew that I wanted to find other members. So instead of just calling myself Lovegood, I preemptively just chose to look. I found the perfect people to join me after.” The band itself is celebrating their one year anniversary, and shared a sweet moment after the end of the show in a group hug.
A fitting end to their set, The Lovegoods played “Hogwarts is my Home” which wouldn’t be amiss as a slow dance at the Yule Ball or the end track of an heart-wrenching movie about friendship, belonging and magic. The genuine feeling of coming together to enjoy something, the intimate dark and warmth of the venue filled to the brim with song almost felt like coming back to the childhood excitement of finishing The Philosopher’s Stone for the first time, ready to continue on to the next adventure.
“I started writing Harry Potter music just out of the joy for our little hearts but it was so much fun, and people really connect to it. There are so many Harry Potter fans in the world that I think because of it, it’s just really taken off.”
Catch The Lovegoods July 13th at Music and Movies at the Park in Waterloo Park, August 30th at Waterloo Public Library’s Harry Potter Party, or the Hogwarts Express Festival happening in St Jacobs.
