Today we’d like to introduce you to Southbound Echoes.
Hi Southbound, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Back in the weird haze of 2020 lockdown, our drummer Kibler and first guitarist were itching to start a band. So they threw lines out on Craigslist, Bandmix, Facebook… anywhere orphaned musicians might be searching.
That’s when Ben (vocals) and Joseph (bass) showed up. Within weeks, we were strangers hammering out covers and writing originals in a garage like it was ’94.
Things were cooking. Then our guitarist got the kind of call you don’t say no to — a shot to tour with an established band. We were stoked for him… and also totally gutted. Southbound Echoes flatlined, hard.
We spent months chasing the right replacement. Tried everything. Nothing clicked. Right when we were about to call it, the rock gods smiled upon us.
Carlos — a friend-of-a-friend of Ben’s — came in for a jam. By the end of that session, we knew. Dude got it. The sound, the feel, the chemistry — it was just there.
From that moment, it was on. We tightened our originals, stacked up covers, and hit the stage for the first time in October 2023 at Come and Take It Live in Austin. That first show lit the fuse.
Since then, we’ve been carving out a name across Central Texas — loud, melodic, gritty, somewhere between Soundgarden and STP with our own spin. Our debut album, Lights Out, dropped in December 2024.
Now it’s 2025, and we’re gearing up for our first full Central Texas tour this summer — and already writing what’s next.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Looking back, we’d love to say it’s been a smooth road — but that’d be like saying your car AC going out in the middle of a Texas summer is a “refreshing experience.” Being in an up-and-coming band today requires passion, a little chaos, and a lot of blind optimism. Sure, once we found Carlos — which was its own small miracle — things started to click musically. But we still ran into the kinds of challenges that most bands deal with today..
First of all, choosing a band name that hasn’t already been taken, trademarked, or associated with some obscure indie project from 2011 is basically impossible. We had a running list of at least 50 names, each one somehow either already in use or sounding like a pharmaceutical product. So that was fun. And once we finally agreed on a name, the next biggest challenge was figuring out how to talk over Kibler’s drumming during practice — which is to say, we didn’t. We just learned to communicate in cave man hand gestures and interpretive eyebrow movements.
Humor aside, there are some real challenges that come with trying to grow as a band today. There’s the constant pressure to not only make great music but also be your own marketing team, video editor, booking agent, merch designer, and social media content creator — all while holding down day jobs and trying not to burn out. It’s a grind. You’re competing in a world where attention spans are shorter than a TikTok loop, and you’ve got to find ways to break through that noise without losing your soul in the process.
Still, we wouldn’t trade it. Every late-night load-out, every under-promoted gig, every moment of doubt — it’s all part of the ride. And when we get on stage and see people vibing with our music, singing the lyrics, or just dancing like they forgot they had work tomorrow — it makes it all worth it. So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road. But it’s been one hell of a ride, and we’re just getting started.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We’re a four-piece rock band based in Austin, TX, dedicated to crafting and performing original music that’s as energetic as it is authentic. Our fans love our live shows — not just because of the music, but because of the raw chemistry and fun we bring to every performance. There’s a certain electricity when we hit the stage: Kibler and Joseph have the rhythm section locked down like it’s Fort Knox, driving each song with groove and precision, while Carlos melts faces and shreds guitar like a fraudulent CEO does evidence. Ben’s melodic vocals soar above the chaos much like inflation and egg prices these days – dynamic and unpredictable.
At the end of the day, what really matters to us is building something real. In an age where music is more accessible than ever but often fleeting, we’re focused on creating a sound that’s distinct, honest, and rooted in who we are — something that cuts through the noise and sticks with people. We’re incredibly grateful to be doing what we love, and even more grateful that people continue to connect with it. Right now, we’re diving deeper into writing new material, exploring fresh musical territory, and tightening our live performance chops — constantly pushing ourselves to improve without losing the spark of what makes us, us.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
When we think about luck, we consider it much like when preparation meets opportunity. It’s not just some random stroke of fortune — it’s the result of consistently putting in the time, the effort, and the energy, so that when those rare moments happen, you’re actually ready to seize them. You can’t control when or how those moments appear, but you have all the control over what you do next. A lot of it comes down to mindset — staying optimistic, staying open, and having the grit to push through setbacks. It’s about being willing to keep moving forward, even when things don’t seem to be going your way.
A perfect example of this was when we were searching for a guitarist. We spent months auditioning people, going through name after name, and none of them felt like the right fit. It was frustrating — we knew what we were looking for, but it just wasn’t clicking. Then, out of nowhere, during a completely unrelated conversation with an old friend on social media, Ben randomly asked, “Hey, you know anybody that plays guitar?” That one offhand question turned into an intro to Carlos — and that changed everything. It was one of those moments that could easily be written off as luck, but in reality, it was because we were persistent, ready, and maybe a little too stubborn to give up. Carlos brought exactly the energy and skills we’d been looking for, and he’s become a crucial part of our sound and identity. So yeah, we believe in luck — but we also believe you have to earn the right to benefit from it.
Pricing:
- Southbound Echoes Hoodie – $40
- Southbound Echoes T-shirt – $20
Contact Info:
- Website: https://southboundechoes.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southbound.echoes?igsh=MW8xbGwzMzN0ZnZhYQ==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AMQm8g5no/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCaPZ3s5THl2mvlt8nsHvG3Q?si=8eCPcuug_ZpWh6lE
- Soundcloud: https://open.spotify.com/artist/46uhFOTee103gwLXmoZq54?si=mrMhAbnKRE2XaVKkU1IBfw
- Other: https://www.songkick.com/artists/10329565-southbound-echoes/calendar
Image Credits
Alex Carasquillo – 1, 5-9
Amanda Kay Myers – 2 and 3
