A rising underground scene for all walks of life 

Over the last two years, with people yearning for a sense of life after the COVID-19 pandemic, electronic dance music has been an avenue for youth in the Rio Grande Valley with the underground scene steadily growing. 

Going into the nightlife of McAllen, people might hear similar songs, beats and tempos, but a growing underground scene of EDM is changing all that while encouraging a love for the music, people and culture. 

House music is a repetitive genre with a typical tempo of 120 beats per minute. It was created in Chicago’s underground club culture in the early 1980s and catered to gay, predominantly Black and Latino patrons, according to Britannica.com.

Techno is similar but has a faster tempo of about 120 to 150 beats per minute. It originated in the early 1980s in Detroit by African Americans, according to Britannica.com. Unlike house, Detroit techno was primarily instrumental, and its beats were more complex than disco-derived, four-to-the-floor kick-drum used in house music. 

McAllen-based Alvaro Ayala and Claudio Moniet make the DJing duo STRGHTFWRD. 

STRGHTFWRD has played at local clubs, bars and events, such as South Texas Comic Con and McAllen’s MXLAN Festival. The duo also has produced several songs across multiple music streaming platforms. 

Ayala told The Rider he is most passionate about his DJ styles of house and techno music. 

“We play, like, a lot of house, techno,” he said. “We don’t really like to say what kind of house or what kind of techno we play. We just play what we want and we just go off with different styles.” 

Initially DJing in 2016, Ayala said there were only a few spots that would play those genres but now the popularity of techno and house music is catching on.

“The only spot you could really go for that type of music was at Tres [in the Sideroom] in downtown [McAllen],” he said. “I feel like Sideroom was the best spot to go to when you wanted to hear, like, real house music and get a real sense of, like, the real vibe, the noncommercial vibe of house music … instead of going into a club, getting a table and just buying a whole bunch of drinks and listen to the same music over and over.” 

Fast forward to 2023 and Ayala said he has never seen the local scene “this popping,” with establishments being more open to it, different events and more DJs. 

“I feel like a lot of these new cats, like, they’re trying to pick it up now,” he said. “And they’re pushing for, like, the whole DJ thing. … They probably picked it up during the pandemic, and they might be doing it for the music, they might not, but at least, like, they’re pushing the scene forward. And it’s always good to see people who understand house music a lot more.” 

With more clubs, bars and events open to playing house and techno music, Ayala said the emergence of after-hours spots and local events is also becoming more common. 

Touching Infinite is a DIY, community-driven rave series in South Texas started by Derek Fuentes, aka Lil Duende. Bringing out-of-town and local DJs to the events, the rave series offers people multiple genres of  electronic dance music. 

Starting Touching Infinite in 2021, Fuentes said he describes it as “a multigenre night in order to push our local underground scene into new directions. … You can expect to hear music that pushes the creative envelope in a way that is still accessible to everyone. Touching Infinite will bring you the best electronic music that is reflective of the counterculture we exist in.” 

From experimental techno to dark industrial gothic techno, he said the variety of music brings different walks of life. 

“You’ll see someone who’s really into fashion,” Fuentes said. “… You’ll see some cholos. You’ll see some punks. It’s a little bit of everything … and they’re not judgmental. They just want to have fun.”  

Moving out of the Valley when he turned 18 and experiencing the nightlife in big cities, such as Houston and Austin, Fuentes said he always wanted to do something similar to Touching Infinite but never had the time or the money. Moving back to the Valley, he said he knew it was definitely something that he wanted to do and felt it was missing in the area. 

“I didn’t know how [people] were going to feel about … electronic music, but they’ve really been enjoying it and open to learning about new things,” Fuentes said. 

Fuentes said the electronic music scene in the Valley is bigger than it has ever been.

“Maybe it’s partly due to the pandemic, because everyone was just ready to get out,” he said. “But there’s definitely just more going on now than ever before and I’m pretty happy about it.” 

Beatriz Montejano, aka QueenKillahBee, is another local DJ in the scene with her unique sound of techno mixed with reggaeton. DJing at local establishments, events and drag shows, Montejano has played several Touching Infinite shows in the past. 

She started to DJ in 2015 due to the lack of variety of music in downtown McAllen. 

“I really like [Touching Infinite events], like, where it’s not at a bar or a business,” Montejano said. “ … It feels more like a community, like, I’m DJing for y’all. Y’all are paying to see us and support us.” 

Influenced by experiential techno and reggaeton sounds she heard when visiting Mexico City, Montejano describes her DJ style as sweaty “perreo” music and always tries to play music by women or something that is popular in the gay community. 

Having a love and passion for the culture, Montejano said she wants more women DJs in the scene and even wants to be able to teach how to DJ in the future.

One change in the DJing scene Montejano has noticed after the COVID-19 pandemic is that it is not as closed-minded. Montejano said she would see discrimination against gay people, people in drag and women being harassed by men in downtown McAllen. 

Due to these situations, Touching Infinite events emphasize that homophobia, transphobia, sexism and racism is not tolerated. 

“I try my hardest to make them, like, a truly safe space for everyone to come and be themselves and dance and be passionate about the history and cultivation of dance music and its bases,” Fuentes said. “Whereas the other places, you know, they’re just kind of booking these big names. …  Then they’re, like, transphobic and homophobic … not letting certain people in.” 

 McAllen native Brandon Salinas is another DJ pushing the underground EDM scene forward by playing house and techno wherever he can but also by hosting events at his warehouse called The Lab in McAllen. 

Salinas said his love for electronic music started in sixth grade. He got his first gigs at high school parties and later played at local clubs, bars and concerts. 

Before the pandemic there were only a few spots and events that played electronic music, Salinas said, but the quarantine gave him an opportunity to focus on those genres and master his skills. 

“So, during the pandemic, I started a thing called Club Vagabond and I would DJ, like, on livestream for four or five hours, at least like three times a week,” he said. “… I hated the pandemic. It sucked, but I really cultivated my sound during that time. … And you’re not confined to, like, clubs. Because in clubs you have to play a certain sound, especially to the crowd, and when you’re livestreaming, it’s more, like, fully your vibe and, basically, whatever you want.” 

Influenced by events in big cities, The Lab was created out of necessity for an after-hours spot and to help cultivate the local scene, Salinas said. 

“[Electronic dance music events after hours have] grown a lot in the last six months,” he said. “ … And, honestly, 2 a.m. is pretty early, like, when you go out, especially compared to, like, other cities, like, where things are just open until 4 a.m., naturally. And there’s a lot of young people here in the Valley that just like to go out and have a good time.” 

Salinas said events at The Lab are usually free, except when entry fees are needed to pay the DJs and performing acts. Hosting events last minute, he said, The Lab brings in a different mix of people, which he loves to see. 

“I do it for the love of the culture and for the music,” he said. “So, I just really focus on just getting some good DJs and I know we’re gonna throw down some good sound, which is what matters a lot. And make sure it’s safe, have security and stuff and just make sure everyone’s having a good time. I just want to bring the culture down here.”