Where these superstars practice

It was a race against time. McAllen pop rock group Madore practiced in a sound-proof room at bassist Alex Velasco's parents' house. The only catch? His father was turning it into a laundry room. In March dad wrapped up that project, leaving the group without a practice space. But pops delivered for his son's new-born band, which formed in October 2007. The architect donated warehouse space to the group.

Get the exclusive tour straight from the band themselves!

4. Microphone - Lead singer Jack Martinez wraps his mic in neon green duct tape, the word "dance" on one side, "shake" on the other. "It's taped so I can spin it," Martinez said. He often throws the mic while belting out lyrics. Without the tape, it could detach from the wire. Or worse yet, the wiring could snap all together. Why neon green? Because it looks cool.

1. Broom - Bassist Velasco's dad donated space in this Pharr warehouse off of Jackson Road. The guys had to clean it themselves. "It still looks dirty, but it was way dirty, so we swept it," said vocalist Martinez. The band usually practices Tuesday and Thursday starting around 6 p.m. and going until dark. There's a nice pile of soda cans, pizza boxes and food wrappers pushed into the corner to prove it.

5. Orange Rockerverb 100 Head - It's often tough for local bands to afford the best equipment. Guitarist Joey Villescas wanted to swap out his Mesa Duel Rect. Head amplifier for something that had more crunch to it. But he couldn't afford to do it straight up, so he tried to sell it. Before he found a taker, he bumped into local punk rockers Jonestown Tragedy, and the two groups arranged a bargain. "I was looking for a different sound and they're more metal," he said. "So we traded. It's like the perfect trade."

3. Drum Kit - MySpace does a lot for bands, connecting them to fans through the Internet. But the social networking site has also helped Madore get new equipment. Drummer Joe Lopez negotiated a sponsorship deal with Shine Custom Drums and Percussion, based out of California. We started talking about our band, they checked out our band on MySpace and they liked it," Lopez said. The company agreed to custom make him a drum set for $2,000, a discount of about 50 percent.

2. Vintage Guitar - Lead guitarist Adam Reese drove to Corpus Christi to get the axe with the sound he wanted. He wanted the Fender 52 Hot Rod guitar, the one used by bands like Maroon 5. But he couldn't find it in the Valley. So he road tripped in December three hours north to the coast, and finally bought the instrument he had wanted. And he's glad he did. "It's vintage and it's a vintage sound," he says.

More On Their Space: A trailer sits on the side of the group's warehouse. They've used it in the past to play local shows, but Madore has never hauled it out of the Valley. That changes Saturday when they launch their first ever tour. It's a big step for the group. Eight months ago three members still went to high school and vocalist Jack Martinez hadn't joined the group. Fast forward. Martinez finds the guys on MySpace, Reese, Villescas and Velasco pass all their classes, and the band prepares to hit the road. Guitarist Villescas has traded his white pick up truck to his uncle for a van this summer. The boys will soon haul that trailer away from the warehouse and up to gigs in Houston, Dallas and Austin.

Vocals: Jack Martinez, 21, Weslaco

Drummer: Joe Lopez, 20, McAllen

Guitar: Adam Reese, 18, McAllen

Guitar: Joey Villescas, 17, McAllen

Bass: Alex Velasco, 17, McAllen

Watch Them:

7 p.m., Saturday

Nikki Rowe VFW, 127 Expressway 83, McAllen

On the Web: www.myspace.com/madoremusic