No discussion of musical events in Laredo would be complete without a mention of the Washington's Birthday Celebration. Now in business for over 110 years, this spectacular annual event usually begins in mid-January and lasts for four weeks, offering everything from an air show to a jalapeño festival. The musical element centers around the Jamboozie, a day-long cross-genre extravaganza that in recent years has expanded to spread across six separate stages. Other musical events take place throughout the celebration, but the Jamboozie is certainly the highlight.
For the classically-inclined, Laredo is lucky enough to have its own Philharmonic Orchestra. Now established for over 30 years, the LPO usually gives its recitals at Texas A&M International University's Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. Musical Director Brendan Townsend aims to present a mix of "blockbuster" works by popular composers and new pieces by less familiar writers. A similar sense of balance can be seen in the performers themselves: the LPO tries to bring internationally-acclaimed artists to Laredo, while also giving a platform for the city's own most talented musicians.
Formerly known as the Laredo Entertainment Center, the Laredo Energy Arena's primary role is as the home of the city's ice hockey team, the Laredo Bucks. However, it's also the premier local venue for major touring artists in the popular genres. Leading lights of pop, rock, R&B, rap and country, from Julio Iglesias to Staind to Hilary Duff, have visited the Energy Arena in recent years. However, it must be said that not every major artist makes it as far south as Laredo. San Antonio, 160 miles north up I-95, is the nearest stop made by many significant tours.
Operating out of the old City Hall, the Laredo Center for the Arts is a volunteer-run community initiative, and a real jewel in the crown of Laredo's cultural scene. You could take in an exhibition of paintings, a dance performance or even a lecture on a visit to the Center for the Arts, perhaps browsing in the on-site bookstore as well. Musically, you can expect the unexpected. This is the place to hear the underground and the avant-garde, something a little out of the ordinary that you might not find at more conventional venues.
As you'd expect, Laredo has an extensive array of smaller, more casual venues featuring both live and recorded music. Whether it's a live rock band at the Cold Brew Sports Bar, or pumping house and techno at the F-Bar, there's little chance that a wander through these famous "streets of Laredo" won't present you with a musical offering that sounds good to you.