LADRONES CELEBRATE ‘ARRIBA LA L’
WITH A RELEASE PARTY BUILT AROUND THEIR FANS
Long before the doors opened at the Affliction store in Seal Beach, the line had already started forming outside. Lowriders filled the surrounding area, tacos were being served from a stand, and fans gathered in anticipation of celebrating the latest chapter from Ladrones.
Inside, the Affliction store, which shares its home with the headquarters of The Octane Show on SiriusXM, hosted by Jose Mangin, had been transformed into a full-on release party. Managing took on hosting duties for the night, serving as MC as the crowd celebrated the arrival of Arriba La L, Ladrones’ third studio album.
The atmosphere felt less traditional and more like a party thrown for friends. An open bar kept margaritas and beers flowing while a flash tattoo station offered fans the chance to leave with a permanent piece of the night: either an Old English-style “L” or a hand forming the letter.
About half an hour before doors opened, Mangin pulled up in a limo with a trunk full of Modelos, setting the tone for what was ahead. By the time the party officially got underway, the crowd had already grown considerably, with fans packed around the entrance and ready to celebrate with the band.
When the members of Ladrones arrived, they didn’t immediately disappear inside for their official appearance. Zxmyr, Cirujano Resendez, José Macario, and Diego Zornoza spent time outside, grabbing tacos, talking with people, and taking in the energy that had been building around them. Once inside, fans quickly crowded around the group, but the interaction never felt rushed. They took time to greet each person who approached, pose for photos and share the moment with the people who had come out to support them.
That sense of connection became one of the defining parts of the night.
The release part celebrated Arriba La L, but it also felt like Ladrones’ way of giving something back to the people who have followed them. By making the event free and open to anyone, the band created a space where there was no obvious separation between artist and audience. They moved through the crowd as if everyone already knew each other, turning what could have been a standard album release into on big gathering.
That feeling fits naturally with the identity Ladrones have built around their music. Hailing from Guadalajara, Mexico, the group has carved out its own lane through what they call “Flow Pesado,” a collision of nu metal, rap, hardcore, trap, and regional Mexican music. What began as an instinctive studio collaboration between friends has grown into a full-fledged project with a sound of its own.
Arriba La L marks the band’s third studio album and another step forward in that evolution. At the Affliction store in Seal Beach, though, the night wasn’t about breaking down the record track by track or making a statement about what comes next. It was about celebrating the people who helped get them there.
Between the lowriders outside, tacos being passed around, and flash tattoos, the release party felt like an extension of Ladrones themselves: loud, unapologetic, and built around community.
Words and photographs by Ana Oquendo