Chicano Batman brings swoon-worthy sounds to KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio.
Chicano Batman brings swoon-worthy sounds to KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio.
Video directed by Angie Scarpa. All photos by Andres Herrera.

Chicano Batman: KCRW Live from HQ

Intimate performances, fresh sounds, and candid conversations with a view.

Written by Marion Hodges

Watching a beloved local dive bar band transcend to global domination is among our favorite pastimes here at KCRW. Chicano Batman, formed in 2008 in East LA, have spent the past 14 years evolving their sound from the scrappy, garage-psych leanings of their eponymous 2010 debut into the technicolor soul-stirrers that make up 2024’s Notebook Fantasy. In between, they’ve toured with Jack White, throttled festival crowds at Coachella and Desert Daze, and rocked the Hollywood Bowl.





When Chicano Batman last played at KCRW, we were still in our basement studios, and they were in the midst of a breakthrough on the strength of viral singles like “Black Lipstick” and their critically acclaimed 2017 LP, Freedom Isn’t Free.  

More: Chicano Batman: KCRW Live From The Basement (MBE, 2017)

Now, the band’s core founding members — Bardo Martinez (lead vocals), Eduardo Arenas (bass), Carlos Arevalo (guitar) — hit the Annenberg Performance Studio with a searing set of Notebook Fantasy highlights like “Fly” and “Losing My Mind,” alongside back catalog jams like “Cycles of Existential Rhyme” and “Black Lipstick” (hell yeah!). They’re rounded out by Quincy McCrary on keys and Dylan Elise on drums. 

Watch it above and peep the interview with KCRW’s Francesca Harding below: they’re breaking down crafting Notebook Fantasy’s cohesive sound, staying connected to their roots, and exploring alternate career paths. Plus, a special shout out to Bardo’s mom(!).

Explore more KCRW Live From sessions



Credits:
KCRW Music Director: Anne Litt
Interviewer: Francesca Harding
Credits Director / Editor / Colorist: Angie Scarpa
Director of Photography: Kylie Hazzard
Camera Operators: Rachel Bickert, Kylie Hazzard, Angie Scarpa, Miko Scarpa
KCRW Recording / Mix Engineer: Hope Brush
Assistant Engineers: Nick Lampone, Katie Gilchrest (Front of House)
Executive Producer: Ariana Morgenstern
Producers: Anna Chang and Liv Surnow
Digital Producer: Marion Hodges
Digital Editorial Manager: Andrea Domanick
Lighting Design: Jason Groman
Art Director: Evan Solano

More from KCRW

clothegod flexes the big mood + bigger musical range of her new EP “I Feel Different Everyday” for KCRW’s Annenberg Performance Studio.

from Live From

Six months after the deadly Eaton Fire, residents are still dealing with a lasting wound: collective trauma.

from KCRW Features

NPR’s Eric Deggans reviews the latest in TV: “Ballard,” “Dexter: Resurrection,” “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (season three), and “Billy Joel: And So It Goes.”

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

As Paramount reaches a $16 million settlement in a dispute over footage from “60 Minutes,” the Paramount-Skydance merger still hangs in the balance.

from The Business

KCRW's signature music program, Morning Becomes Eclectic, is hosted by Novena Carmel and features a thoughtfully curated mix of new releases, timeless classics, offbeat gems, live…

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

Sometimes a song deserves a simple, straightforward superlative: “gorgeous.” “Le Grand Soleil De Dieu (Psychemagik Remix),” is one of those songs.

from Today's Top Tune