Chicano Batman, Khruangbin & The Shacks Team Up In NYC: Photos, Videos & Recap

Words & Images by: Bryan Lasky

Chicano Batman, Khruangbin & The Shacks :: 10.5.17
Irving Plaza :: New York City

A triple bill at New York City’s Irving Plaza on Thursday felt like a time warp to the days of the Fillmores, when lineups turned into “anything-goes” affairs in efforts to provide music lovers with the most bang for their buck. Opening the night was The Shacks, with their pairing of surf rock and psychedelic pop. The band, led by Max Shrager and Shannon Wise, set the tone for the rest of the night.

Next up was Khruangbin leading a funk-filled set that made many in the crowd dance their hearts out. The lack of words in Khruangbin’s music was hardly noticeable since the trio are so skilled on their instruments. At times it was as if the vocals came through in their playing.

Chicano Batman then blended psychedelic rock ‘n’roll, blues and funk during a monster of a headlining set. The crowd went absolutely wild throughout their performance and chanted pleas of “uno mas,” leading to a much appreciated and deserved encore for the Los Angeles-based band. With a bright future for all three acts, don’t be surprised if the show and tour winds up being one of those you look back on 20 years later in disbelief that they all played on the same bill on the same night.