The El Paso based band known as Late Night Drive Home is set to grace the stage of Austin City Limits with their presence for the first time.
Late Night Drive Home was formed by a couple of friends from a small town outside El Paso, with lead singer Andre Portillo and guitarist Juan ‘Ockz’ Vargas starting the band as up-and-coming musicians in 2019, getting their start by releasing music on SoundCloud. They gained two more band members when Ockz’s cousin Freddy Baca became the band’s bassist, along with their friend Brian Dolan becoming the band’s drummer.
In September of 2021, they gained massive success with their song called “Stress Relief” off their debut EP Am I Sinking or Am I Swimming? They have also had quite a few celebratory milestones in the past year, including signing their first contract with independent Los Angeles label Epitaph Records in November of 2023, along with playing several venues and festivals such as the Kilby Block Party, Viva Music Festival, and Coachella. They are also set to play alongside Yotclub on their Europe tour.
On January 10th, 2024, they released their iconic hit single “I’ll Remember You for the Same Feeling You Gave Me as I Slept.” A powerful indie dreamy rock ballad about love, relationships, and belonging that captivates the listener with every word behind it, with its bass-heavy guitars and powerful dreamy backing track managing to impress and woe its audience with every riff they play and every lyric they sing. The band is a must-see at Austin City Limits for anyone who is truly a big fan of up-and-coming indie music. They can be found playing the Honda stage on Friday the 11th. They’ve come a long way from their humble beginnings in a small town outside of El Paso, and we would definitely encourage you to see where they go next as this band redefines what it means to be ‘indie’ and what it means to rock.
Austin City Limits 2024 will be happening on 10/4-10/6 and 10/11-10/13. Check out the full lineup and get your ACL tickets here.
I'm from Plano, Texas. As an advanced technical theater student at Plano East Senior High, I have a deep passion for physical media, particularly collecting records and CDs. I'm also an avid member of my high school's tech crew, where I spend much of my time building and assembling, which fuels my creativity. When I'm not in the classroom shop crafting the next set piece, you can find me vibing to the eclectic sounds of Le Tigre, They Might Be Giants, and Mazzy Star.
