Ruffled shirts and bow ties emulate late ’60s and early ’70s soul, mixed with tropicália and other sounds.
When Chicano Batman honors their musical inspirations, many of us hear our own memories.
Story by Jennifer Hernandez
Photos by Ashley Nava
This touring band and Tropicalia Fest headliner transforms genres into anthems of resistance and love in a time when those two things are most needed.
For many people, like myself, Chicano Batman is a band heard from word-of-mouth. Many of my friends have mentioned the band several times and I heard it even more during South by Southwest 2017 as they performed for the lucky attendees and the loyal badgeless.
For those who don’t know, Chicano Batman is a four-person group hailing from Los Angeles. I learned more about the group’s inspirations through an episode of Alt. Latino, an NPR podcast about alternative music from Latinx artists. Many of their musical inspirations were from rock n’ roll, cumbias, salsa and lots of disco, similar to the music my parents passed down to me. I suddenly understood what the appeal was and knew I needed to see this band live the moment they came to Austin.
Chicano Batman are now touring with their politically charged “Freedom is Free” album.
Saturday night was the peak Halloween party night, so naturally many fans came dressed up in their spookiest attire. The crowd varied in age that night, from youthful adults to more relaxed older couples. The diverse crowd was interlaced with many fans who had seen Chicano Batman multiple times.
The first opening band, The Shacks, matched the tone everyone was waiting for by playing chill psychedelic tunes but with an indie twist. The second band, Khruangbin, energized the crowd with live instrumental disco. Whether you were around during the ‘70s or not, these two bands made Emo’s seem like a small club from back in the day.
As the crew was setting up for Chicano Batman, the backdrop changed to showcase artwork for the band’s latest album, “Freedom is Free.” A few minutes later, the group went onstage sporting ‘70s prom looks in matching navy blue suits. They are known for always looking dapper during performances but their outfits were especially on-brand.
Although their first song of their set, “Angel Child,” isn’t the opening song for their latest album, its slow build up is the perfect way to begin the concert. Lead vocalist Bardo Martinez’s smile was contagious as he shared his appreciation for the Austin audience. The second song, “Cycles of Existential Rhyme,” got lots of love from the fans as many sang along.
Chicano Batman has many Spanish songs like “Flecha al Sol,” a fast-tempo track that speaks of the importance of finding oneself. As someone who is Chicana, identity is a topic that is all too real but this song assures us that feeling like you’re neither from here nor there is relatable.
One of the biggest highlights from this concert was Chicano Batman’s performance of “La Manzanita,” a song that made me realize the distinct similarities between cumbia and oldies. Living in a city dominated by other genres, it was so refreshing to hear a touring band in 2017 playing cumbia. The nostalgia of family parties flooded my mind and my appreciation for this band grew stronger.
Other key performances include “Friendship (is a Small Boat in a Storm)” and anyone who has experienced the ups and downs of relationships, whether it was with a significant other or a friend, can relate to the song. Throughout the concert, Martinez stepped away from his keyboard to jumped, ran across the stage and danced with the audience.
At first, the smooth and melodic riffs of songs like, “Passed You By,” sound similar to a song you’d hear walking pass your crush but its lyrics shows feelings of independence and freedom within oneself. Either way, Martinez made this moment special for everyone as he got the crowd waving their arms during the chorus.
Bassist Eduardo Arenas debuted a solo album in November of last year.
Fans chanted “otra,” encouraging the band to come out for an encore. Chicano Batman finally answered the audience’s eager pleas for more music, playing two more songs, including a fan favorite, “Itotiani.” This song, which has minimal lyrics, celebrates the beauty of indigenous cultures. The final song showed how engaging this band can truly be as Martinez briefly crowd surfed before wishing Austin peace and love.
There’s a reason why people love seeing Chicano Batman live, watching the band jam out while providing a comfortable space to sing consciously-driven and resonating lyrics. The power of love was the biggest takeaway from the show because loving who you are can be an act of resistance in itself.
Despite all the madness we see every day on our timelines, Chicano Batman’s music sends messages of hope and positivity that can be the soundtrack to this current chapter of our lives.
