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Local McAllen, Texas Music Scene McAllen is located near the Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley and has been a booming international trade center in the health care industry. In the 2010 Census the metropolitan area had a population of over 774,000. In 2011 Census.gov listed McAllen as one of the poorest regions in the country. Campuses include the University of Texas-Pan American and South Texas college. The local scene is covered by The Monitor and Valley Morning Star. The history of the McAllen music scene has not included many national acts. McAllen Music Acts Jay-yo * South$ide Chick * Grupo Zinzzero * Maria D'Luz * Sunshine for the Weak * New Arrivalz * Cris Sky * Black the Sun * Dignan * Verdadero * McAllen Local Music Scene History The 2019 arts and culture summer festival MXLAN (a name reflecting Mexico, McAllen and Aztlan) at Oval Park featured a wide range of bands who played rock, hip-hop, soul and cumbia. The first few days of the outdoor Breakthrough Stage were presented by the top booking agency of the Rio Grande Valley, Tiger's Blood. The show was organized local promoter Patrick Garcia. Music acts included Omar Apollo, Le Butcherettes and Dezorah. McAllen ranks high on the list of affordable places to live in the United States. Artists and musicians who are looking to relocate somewhere for a lower cost of living should consider the area. McAllen is a small town but has an active economy in retail sales, fueled by tourism, especially during winter. The town attracts many tourists from Mexico. According to a 2018 report from Warheit Ventures, McAllen required the least amount of gross income to cover the cost of living among 253 American cities. In September 2013 when search Zvents for McAllen "local music events," the search produced zero results. Similarly, a search in Google on the same day for "McAllen local music" generated only one page of links. With all that tourism you would think that there would be type of demand for music. The Rio Grande Valley covers a broader region that gets more notoriety. A documentary film called "As I Walk Through the Valley" by Charlie Vela and Ronnie Garza explores musicians of the region. The film, released in 2015, opens with local punk bands of the late 1990s. It goes as far back as the 1960s based on historical research. |
