The outlaws of Valley electronica

A 1989 handheld Nintendo Game Boy has turned an anonymous Edinburg man into an underground sensation.

Phil Acevado lives his days unassumingly. He wears buttoned-up plaid shirts and Chuck Taylors. He spends hours on instant messenger. And he drives an unreliable car, swearing it could never make it out of Texas.

At night, his life changes. Acevado becomes A Beautiful Lotus. Teens scream at his packed concerts. European music fans order his merchandise online. And women get "ABL" tattoos in intimate places.

All of this because of a Game Boy.

Acevado joins a burgeoning group of avant-garde musicians in the Valley. Armed with computer programs, keyboards and turn tables, these composers make electronic music. The genre has existed for years, thriving in Europe, large cities and nightclubs. It's gaining traction in the Valley, powered largely by the Internet and McAllen's infant arts district.

MEET THE VALLEY'S ELECTRONICA ARTISTS:
>> Ronnie Garza
>> Retrovox
>> Juicy Mouse Box
>> I Killed Techno!
>> El Oso Mono
>> Dawn Haughey
>> A-Muse
>> A Beautiful Lotus

Acevado found an international fanbase through MySpace. A New Jersey label first distributed his music online in 2002. He has since wracked up thousands of downloads. He receives e-mail from fans across the globe, everywhere from Venezuela to the United Kingdom.

He's no exception, either. Electronica duo Retrovox had dozens of revelers grooving with their music a outside Central McAllen's Roosevelt at 7 during McAllen's most recent Art Walk.

Retrovox plans to release singles soon as the two shop their music to large labels, says Rey Aguilar, half of the duo.

While Aguilar, 20, has no musical background, Acevado played guitar in a death metal band, switching genres six years ago.

Like most electronica artists, Retrovox compose their music with computer programs, creating beats and melodies, then overlaying other sounds. Acevedo augments his vocal recordings with beeps and boops from that old Gameboy.

• DJs VS. ELECTRONICA: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? CLICK HERE

El Oso Mono, a local electronica band, mixes electronic drums and keyboards with conventional bass and guitar. El Oso Mono's music sounds leans more toward experimental art than popular dance/techno styles. Dennis Zamarron, a vocalist and composer with the group, says he created the band with no intention of performing live or gaining fans.

"I just wanted to make a different style of music and record some stuff that I would really like," he says.

Fast forward, and now Zamarron has found an audience. He also helped organized Winterfest, a large-scale electronic music festival happening Sunday at the Manichaus art gallery on Main Street.

Six local acts will perform alongside five groups from other parts of Texas. One performer is driving down from Pennsylvania to be there.

"A lot of people dismiss guys who use a musical program to make music," Zamarron says. "They kind of scoff, and it is easy to push a button and do this and that, but the thing that sticks out about electronic artists is enthusiasm.

"A different kind of genre might not be as willing to jump down here from Pennsylvania - that's a long ride. I'm still kind of bewildered that guy's coming down."

But that's electronica for you. Maybe he'll bring a Game Boy to play on the trip.

Go to an electronica show
WHAT Electro Winterfest
WHEN 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
WHERE Manichaus, 1301-B N. Main St., McAllen
COST $8
WHO'S PLAYING? El Oso Mono, A Beautiful Lotus, Juicy Mouse Box, I Killed Techno! and more.

Zack Quaintance covers features and entertainment for Festiva. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.