The first day of the the Tecate Pa’l Norte festival on Friday (March 27) offered a vast and eclectic soundscape headlined by Tyler, The Creator, Deftones, Interpol, Morat, Myke Towers and Los Traileros del Norte, bringing rap, alternative rock and metal, pop, electronic music and regional Mexican music to Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Mexico. As the cherry on top, K-pop sensation Jackson Wang celebrated his 32nd birthday with a spectacular show that included flames and 40 dancers on stage.
The festival’s start gathered thousands of attendees who enjoyed performances by Molotov, Maldita Vecindad, Siddartha, Camilo Séptimo, Cuco, La Santa Cecilia, The Blaze (DJ set), Balu Brigada and Gran Sur, all of whom delivered the best of their repertoire across the eight stages set up in the iconic park. La Arrolladora Banda El Limón was also one of the surprises of day one.
Among other surprise acts this year was the group Piso 21, who thrilled and moved the audience with hits like “Pa’ Olvidarme de Ella,” “Te Amo” and “Me Llamas.” Young singer-songwriter Paloma Morphy, winner of the Latin Grammy for best new artist in 2025, invited her colleague Emjay to perform their new duet “Qué Ves en Mí?” live for the first time, a song they released this week on digital platforms.
During the marathon day, Majo Aguilar and David Velasco, the vocalist of the band Porter, inaugurated a new Pa’l Norte stage called “Entre Cheves y Compas,” engaging the audience in a live recording session. Jordy Medina opened the Club Social KIA stage with his electronic sounds, followed by RØZ, who invited Nsqk to perform “No Veo Bien.”
The program continues on Saturday (March 28) with the legendary band Guns N’ Roses kicking off their 2026 world tour at Pa’l Norte, along with Grupo Frontera, Turnstile, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Cypress Hill, The Warning, El Bogueto, Judeline, Simple Plan, Enjambre, Luck Ra and more.
Now in its 14th edition, the acclaimed festival founded by Apodaca Group — and in recent years associated with the promoter Ocesa — takes place March 27-29.
Read about five of our favorite moments from day one of Tecate Pa’l Norte 2026 below.
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Tyler, The Creator
The influential 35-year-old Californian rapper and producer crowned himself as the undisputed star of the first day of the festival’s activities, conquering it with his rap, dance moves, energy and good vibes. Tyler, The Creator made his return to Monterrey after almost a decade a memorable moment with an energetic set that included hits like “Big Poe,” “St. Chroma,” “Noid,” “Darling, I,” “Sugar on My Tongue” and “Are We Still Friends.”
The rapper said that he honors every country he visits with a song, and at Pa’l Norte he did a mix with “Tamale” and the word “Mexico,” projecting the Mexican flag at the center of the spectacular stage in a moment that sparked a roaring ovation from the audience.
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Jackson Wang
Jackson Wang, former member of the K-pop band GOT7, celebrated his debut at a music festival in Latin America in grand style with a very special performance that included flames and 40 dancers on stage. Songs like “Buck,” “Let Loose” and “GBAD” were some of the tracks included in his repertoire, encouraging fans to wave their lightsticks.
The icing on the cake came with the celebration of Wang’s 32nd birthday. After having announced hours earlier on Instagram that it was his birthday, dozens of girls in the audience sang “Happy Birthday” to him.
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Deftones
The alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, made their debut at the famous Mexican festival with a powerful and highly anticipated performance, attended by hundreds of Gen Z fans who discovered them on TikTok. The setlist included classics like “Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away),” “Swerve City,” “Diamond Eyes,” “Sextape” and “Hole in the Earth,” as well as tracks from their acclaimed 2025 album private music, such as “my mind is a mountain” and “milk of the madonna.”
Famous for his dynamic stage presence — complete with screams and jumps galore — vocalist Chino Moreno also had his “Norteño moment” when he briefly donned a cowboy hat thrown to him from the audience, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
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Interpol
Image Credit: Luis Moreno The New York band made Pa’l Norte their only stop in Mexico on their current international tour, giving the audience one of the fest’s standout moments. Lead singer Paul Banks, who lived in Mexico City for a time during his adolescence, always connects with the local crowd by speaking Spanish with a “chilango” touch (a nickname for residents of Mexico City).
Their set included songs like “All the Rage Back Home,” “No I in Threesome,” “C’mere,” “The Rover,” “Rest My Chemistry” and “Obstacle 1,” which Banks introduced as “Obstáculo 1.” “It’s an honor to be playing for the best fans in the world,” Banks said in perfect Spanish, sparking a big ovation.
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Morat
Image Credit: Luis Moreno The Colombian band was one of the most prominent Latin acts at the festival, where they have performed three times in their career, as vocalist Juan Pablo Villamil recalled. This time, they came back as one of the main acts.
Morat opened their set with “Faltas Tú,” followed by “Cómo Te Atreves” and “A Dónde Vamos.” “We’ve never seen so many people as we did now,” Villamil expressed after performing “Me Toca a Mí” and “Segundos Platos.” The setlist also included a cover of Los Bukis’ “Tu Cárcel,” but in the rock version by Enanitos Verdes.
