Style Record: Chicano Batman
All photographs courtesy of Chicano Batman, by Manuel Villarreal
Chicano Batman is one of the most sharply dressed bands on tour right now, and they’re gaining an increasing fan base and wide reputation as a stylish show stopper. The band played back-to-back weekends at Coachella, where they first played in 2015 and were named one of The 10 Stylish Bands to Watch for at Coachella by Paste. They also recently made their late-night premiere on Conan, performing their song “Friendship (Is a Small Boat in a Storm).”
The band is on tour supporting the release of their album Freedom Is Free (ATO), produced by Leon Michels (The Shacks, The Arcs) at Diamond Mine Recordings in Long Island City, NY.
Off-stage, these guys looks like laid back dudes with SoCal Style. On-stage, they are a modern rendition of Thee Midniters in matching tailored suits. While frontman Bardo Martinez spends his evenings on stage breaking the hearts of audience members with vocals as smooth as Boz Scaggs and dressed as sharply as Marvin Gaye, his everyday look is a t-shirt, jeans and Converse, ready to jump on the long board he brings on tour.
While the uniform onstage look of vocalist Bardo Martinez, bassist Eduardo Arenas, drummer Gabriel Villa and guitarist Carlos Arévalo has made the band highly visible and identifiable, these guys more than look classy; they are a class act. Whether it’s taking the time to meet with fans, pose for pictures, send personalized video messages or promote their opening acts, the band takes the time to connect and reach fans on a personal level.
The title and message of their latest album is closely in line with the current political climate, and though the material was written two years ago, it resonates with today’s ever changing notion of freedom. It’s this timely message that has made the fans all that more emotionally connected to the music.
Though Paste caught up with the band at sold out shows at New York’s Bowery Ballroom and The Glass House in Pomona, CA, Paste Design sat down to talk fashion and new music before the tour takes the group to Mexico next month.
Paste: In 2015 you were named the second Most Stylish Bands to watch at Coachella by Paste Magazine (behind Angel Olsen) what has and hasn’t changed since then?
Arévalo: At that time we were wearing polyester pants and ruffled shirts, we’ve since upgraded to three-piece suits with a little more of a sleek look.
Villa: We had a bigger crowd, more support, a better time slot and were able to navigate the festival a little better. It was great. It was amazing. I’m glad this time it wasn’t that hot. The first time we played we opened the festival at 1pm. This time we felt great. We have a new album so we were expressing new material. It was fresh and it felt good. The first time we felt that it was too big (for us), but this time we felt ready for it and more comfortable.
Paste: Where do you get those great suits?