Stream our bi-weekly Web video series The V Cast to find out about some of the great A&E events happening this month in the Rio Grande Valley. Reporters Crystal Olvera and Melissa McEver hosted The V Cast today at the Valley Morning Star newsroom in Harlingen. Click the links below to find out more about some of the January events mentioned in the video.

Learn more about tejano singer Michael Salgado’s upcoming performance here.

Read our interview with Austin trumpeter Jeff Lofton, who performs today and Saturday in McAllen.

Check out the listing for the Saturday Night Shockers‘ upcoming Brownsville gig.

Metal band Knock em Dead plays McAllen on January 9. Read our interview with vocalist Hamlet Garcia here.

Learn more about the Treaures of Tutankhamen exhibit in Brownsville here.

View our listing for the Manichaus “Start” group art exhibit and performance.

Learn more about Harlingen’s Jackson Street Market Days.

Read about Rey Leal’s ‘My Time in Iraq’ photo exhibit.

Everyone else was feeling kind of camera shy this week, so I went in front of the camera with reporter Daisy Martinez to host the Weekend Edition. Daisy and I talked about a few events happening this week in the Rio Grande Valley. Check out the short video here and click the links below to find out more about the events we mention. Don’t forget to sift through our events calendar to find out about more local events.

Check out our interview with Ramon Ayala about his annual Christmas Posada, which happens Dec. 19 in Hidalgo, here.

Click here to find out which local bands are playing at the Toys for Tots Metal Show on Dec. 19 in Harlingen.

Check out a video and read a story about the ongoing “La Fe” art exhibit at Galeria 409 in Brownsville (that’s a pic of 409 owner Mark Clark installing part of the exhibit up there).

Learn more about the “Digital Love” photo exhibit here. It’s happening tonight at the McAllen Creative Incubator.

And finally, we posted a review of the new WIll Smith flick “I Am Legend.” Click here for showtimes for all movies screening in the RGV this week, including “Alvin and the Chipmunks.”

Watch The V Cast: Weekend Edition next Thursday on TheV247.com.

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Photo by Liza Longoria

Crystal Olvera and Melissa McEver were nice enough to host this week’s Weekend Edition (while I barked orders from behind the camera) outside the VMS offices in Harlingen. Check out the links and info below to find out more about this week’s art and entertainment events mentioned in the video, and don’t forget to watch the video right here.

Music:
- Read a story about the South Texas Chorale’s “Let Heaven and Nature Sing” concert, which happens tonight at 8 p.m. in Harlingen.

- Cafe Tacuba hits McAllen on Friday. Check out our interview with guitarist Joselo Rangel.

- Get more details on Phillip Walker’s Friday show at Cine El Rey.

- Radio rockers Miser headline a show at Cine el Rey on Saturday. get more info here.

Art/Theater Events:
- The Harlingen Jaycees will hold its annual Christmas Parade on Friday. Click here for more.

- HPAT presents ‘A Christmas Story’ this weekend. Click for ticket info.

Movies:
Get showtimes for “The Golden Compass” and all the flicks playing in the RGV here.

There are tons of great events happening this week in the RGV. Reporters Daisy Martinez and Melissa McEver talked about a few of them, including the Lil Flip concert and a local film fest, in this week’s Weekend Edition, filmed at the Valley Morning Star offices in Harlingen. Click the links below to learn more about items mentioned this week, and don’t forget to catch the three-minute video here.

Music:
- Lil Flip
Chart-topping Houston rapper Lil Flip will play the Mercedes livestock show grounds on Saturday, Dec. 1. Other activities at the grounds, including a car show, bikini contest, other musical acts and a toy drive, will begin at 3 p.m. Click here for more info and check out our story on opening act Go Lightly Project.

- Greeley Estates
Don’tGetEmo presents Arizona hardcore band Greeley Estates with Confide and The Requested this Friday at STC. Get all the info you need here and stream some music at GE’s MySpace page.

- Three Days Grace with Miser and Neverset
Check out our interview with Three Days Grace drummer Neil Sanderson and click here for more info on the Dec. 5 show at Graham Central Station.

Art Events:
- Christmas Extravaganza
Click here to learn more about the holiday exhibits opening tonight at the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum

- WILD’s Original Film Contest
Indie film lovers can ditch the megaplexes and catch locally-produced movies this Friday at South Texas College. Learn more here.

Movie(s):
- ‘Awake’
Watch Jessica Alba and Hayden Christensen try to “act” in the trailer for this new thriller about a man who suffers “anesthetic awareness.” Get local movie showtimes here.

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Photos courtesy Sony Music and MGM

Happy Thanksgiving … Daisy Martinez and I hosted this week’s “The V Cast: Weekend Edition” while grabbing a cup of coffee in Harlingen. Watch the video to learn about some of the great entertainment events coming to the Rio Grande Valley this week.

If you already watched the video you know that our co-host was The Wind. The Wind had a lot to say, and he stepped over a few of my lines this week. Maybe we’ll cut him out next week.

Check the notes and links below to find out more about items mentioned in this week’s episode. Check back for a new Weekend Edition and more notes every Thursday …

Music:
- Corry Morrow
The up-and-coming country music performer hits Harlingen’s Wild Bill’s on Friday.

- Marky Ramone
The former Ramones drummer plays Brownsville on Saturday and McAllen on Sunday. He’s backed by members of The Queers and local acts, including Superzero, are also slated to perform.

- Alejandro Sanz
The Latin pop star plays Dodge Arena on Thursday.

Art:
- 37th International Student Art Show
The annual show at the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art is always worth a look.

Movies:
- ‘August Rush’
We forgot to mention this saccharine-soaked drama starring Freddy Highmore, Jonathan Rhys-Myers and Keri Russell. Read a review here.

- Get local movie showtimes for ‘This Christmas,’ ‘The Mist,’ ‘Hitman,’ Enchanted’ and ‘No Country for Old Men.’