East LA band Chicano Batman got going back in 2008, brought together by progressive beliefs and political struggle as much as passion for music. They describe themselves as a “psych-soul four piece,” but in truth their work defies categorization, stretching into prog rock, indie, and, of course, Chicano rock. Comprising Eduardo Arenas, Carlos Arévalo, Bardo Martinez, and Gabriel Villa, they swiftly became a cult act in the Latinx community, but really hit the big time (at least in the eyes of the critics) two years later with their third LP, the politically oriented “Freedom is Free.” WePresent caught up with them when the band took us on a tour of LA, stopping along the way at the places that brought them together, that forged their friendship and their sound, and that still encapsulates their relationship with the sprawling city.
