Hailing from El Monte, a sleepy suburban town just east of Los Angeles, The Red Pears’ founding members, Henry Vargas (vocals/guitar) and Jose Corona (drums), draw their sound from the spectrum between the early 2000s New York indie rock and grunge scene to the cumbia and corridos that soundtracked their childhoods. After cycling through an assortment of lineups, mutual friend and bassist Patrick Juarez stayed on and expanded their operation. Now a solid three-piece band, the emerging alt-rockers have come a long way from meeting at a local Battle of the Bands, practicing in their garages, and naming themselves after their favorite color and a pun on the word “pair”— a subtle nod to sonic inspirations The White Stripes and The Black Keys.

Mexican Slum Rats are masters at composing songs one can feel to their core, balancing tranquility with chaos — a perfect mixture that is only heightened by their expressive instrumentals. Lead vocalist Kevin Villalba has an unforgettable and profound pitch that lingers to correctly portray the sense of vulnerability people often attempt to conceal, humanizing their music and creating an outlet for others to turn to. Accompanying Villalba’s vehement displays are the distinct sounds of a strumming guitar, making for a complete and ideal performance.