El Paso won’t get more big concerts without a strong local scene. Support venues and artists — show up, spend locally, and rebuild the culture that brings tours.

By Patty G.

I’m not going to lie: I spent a ridiculous amount of money on a ticket to see The Strokes when they played El Paso in October. And while I didn’t pay for my ticket, I was in the audience at one of Coldplay’s sold-out Sun Bowl shows thanks to my dear friend Adrian. I love that these big shows are finally coming through El Paso.

But it still feels too few and far between.

Do I want more? Absolutely. Did the announcement of BTS coming here make it feel like a turning point? Maybe. For the last 30 years or so, I’ve heard the same question over and over: Why doesn’t El Paso get more big tours? We’re right on I-10, after all. Artists play cities up and down the route and somehow skip right over us.

We should be going to shows at small venues all over the city, any night of the week. My plea is simple: let’s build venues into institutions again, the way Club 101, Club Xcape and Tricky Falls were for so many of us.

I don’t pretend to know the inner workings of the touring business, but I do think there’s something we can control: supporting local music. It’s the old adage — if you build it, they will come. Big shows come more often when small shows happen regularly. A strong local scene is the foundation, not the bonus.

I remember growing up with a wild music scene, where there were so many shows that I actually forgot some of the ones I went to. When I worked for my college newspaper, NMSU’s The Round Up, we covered shows of all sizes. At the time, I wanted more and took for granted how lucky we were to have what we had. So many people were actively working to bring bands — unknown and well-known alike — to the Sun City. Folks were opening their homes to touring musicians, and their moms were even cooking them breakfast, doing it purely out of love for the music. Those were the days. And yet, 30 years later, we’re still struggling to keep that same spirit alive. 

We often compare El Paso to other cities our size that seem to “have more,” but we also try to leapfrog our city into a different category without doing the work. Thriving music scenes don’t magically appear; they’re built locally, over time. Yes, we need larger venues to attract bigger tours — but we also need to support the small businesses booking emerging bands today, the ones who might be headlining arenas tomorrow.

We should be going to shows at small venues all over the city, any night of the week. My plea is simple: let’s build venues into institutions again, the way Club 101, Club Xcape and Tricky Falls were for so many of us from the ’80s through the 2010s. That buzz is starting to return with places like Lowbrow Palace, MONA Bar of Modern Art, Love Buzz, and The Alley Kat (and yes, I know I’m leaving many out).

According to the National Independent Venue Association, more than half (64 percent) of independent U.S. music venues didn’t turn a profit in 2024. Fewer people are going out, bar sales are down, and the cost of everything is up. It’s hard for venues to survive — here and abroad. Now imagine that reality hitting El Paso even harder. What would this city be without its music spaces? The recent losses of Club 101 and Tricky Falls still sting. Imagine Austin without Austin City Limits or Emo’s (yes, even the newish one).

We can’t let that happen.

Supporting local means showing up before artists get national attention — not after. How can we expect a thriving music scene (or any scene) if we don’t support the people creating it? Do you know the local musicians, promoters, photographers, chefs, cooks, and business owners who grind day in and day out — not for glory, not even for the hustle, but because they believe in what they’re building?

They are the foundation of what makes El Paso special. Support them with your dollars, your social media posts, and your word of mouth. That’s when others start paying attention — when we show pride in our city and its people.

El Paso shouldn’t aspire to copy anyone else. We should invest in making our city matter first and foremost to ourselves by supporting our music venues, restaurants, entertainment spots, and local businesses. There’s nothing revolutionary about this — it just makes sense.

Go see a local show this week.

And the next.

And the one after that.

Be a fan.