Music

Mexican band Los Alegres del Barranco canceled their scheduled performance on Friday (May 30) in the municipality of Maravatío, in the Mexican state of Michoacán, citing security concerns, the group’s spokesperson, Luis Alvarado, confirmed to Billboard Español.
“In agreement with the event sponsor, local authorities, state security agencies, and members of the band, it was decided to postpone the event due to security concerns,” Alvarado said in a brief statement, without providing further details about the postponement or a new date for the performance.

Previously, the event’s sponsor, Chilangos Grill, had announced on Thursday (May 29) that the show would be rescheduled “for reasons beyond the control of the company and the band.” Organizers reported that the concert was sold out. “Our priority has always been and will continue to be the well-being and safety of our audience, artists, and everyone involved with the company, which is why a new date for the performance will be scheduled,” read the statement on social media.

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The group had recently secured a legal injunction allowing them to perform narcocorridos in Michoacán, despite a state decree that prohibits the dissemination of music or expressions that glorify crime in public spaces, which went into effect in April.

Los Alegres del Barranco became the first act from the regional Mexican genre to be formally accused by the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office of alleged glorification of criminal activities. Authorities in that state, located in western Mexico, are investigating the group after images of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), were projected during their performance of the song “El del Palenque” on March 29 at an auditorium at the University of Guadalajara.

This incident even led the U.S. to revoke work and tourist visas for the band members, as announced on April 1 by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in a statement on X.

The band, its representative, and the promoter are facing investigation from the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office for four performances in different municipalities of that state in which they allegedly glorified criminal activities, according to information published on May 9 by the same office.

Ten out of Mexico’s 32 states have implemented various bans against narcocorridos or any expression that promotes or glorifies criminal activities, though such bans have not yet become federal law.

The cancellation of Los Alegres del Barranco’s concert also comes after five members of Grupo Fugitivo — a locally known regional Mexican music group — were found dead in the state of Tamaulipas on May 29, four days after being reported missing. The deaths are allegedly linked to a faction of a drug cartel operating in that region of the country.

Grupo Firme announced the cancellation of their performance at La Onda Fest in Napa Valley, Calif., scheduled for Sunday (June 1), due to the visas of its members and the team of promoter being in “administrative process” at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico. The regional Mexican band shared the news on Friday (May 30) without offering further details about the review their visas are undergoing.
“Currently, the visas of Grupo Firme and the team of Music VIP [Entertainment] are in an administrative process by the U.S. Embassy, a situation that makes it impossible for Grupo Firme to perform at La Onda Fest as planned. We regret any inconvenience this may cause,” the band said in the statement published on its Instagram Stories. “We appreciate your understanding and, above all, the love from our fans in the U.S.”

The band added that they would soon have news about their return to the U.S. “to meet again and sing, dance, and celebrate together.”

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A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Mexico told Billboard Español: “Visa records are confidential under U.S. law; therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases.”

Billboard Español reached out to Music VIP and a representative for Grupo Firme on Friday night for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.

Previously, the vocalist of the famous band, Eduin Caz, had denied having issues with his U.S. visa during a press conference in Mexico City on April 8. In the same meeting with the media, the singer also denied that his band performed narcocorridos. Days later, Caz announced on social media that Grupo Firme would refrain from performing corridos, complying with new restrictions imposed by some state governments in Mexico regarding music or any public expression that glorifies crime.

The announcement of Grupo Firme’s concert cancellation adds to that of fellow regional Mexican star Julión Álvarez, who, the night before his scheduled concert on May 24 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, announced that the show had to be canceled after his work visa was revoked, according to the artist himself in a video posted on social media.

The work and tourist visas of the members of Los Alegres del Barranco were also revoked following an investigation by the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office for alleged glorification of crime. This was after the group projected images of Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, during a concert in the band’s home country on March 29 in an auditorium at the University of Guadalajara.

Grupo Firme has become one of the most successful groups in regional Mexican music since the band’s foundation in 2014. In September 2022, they performed a free concert in Mexico City’s Zócalo, the country’s main public square, that drew more than 280,000 people, setting a historic attendance record, according to the government of the Mexican capital.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards and Latin Grammy-winners boast 10 No. 1s on Billboard‘s Regional Mexican Airplay chart, including “Ya Supérame” and “El Beneficio de la Duda.”