CatBox is a Bakersfield-based alternative indie rock band blending modern sonic textures with hook-driven songwriting and emotionally honest lyrics. The band is led by primary songwriter, producer, and lead vocalist Cristin Schneider, alongside guitarist/bassist and producer Medka Thompson and guitarist/bassist Fernando Montoya.

Originally formed in mid-2022 by Schneider and then-guitarist Jaron Cramer, CatBox began as a creative outlet for two out-of-state transplants finding their footing in California’s Central Valley. Within months, the duo had written over 25 original songs and began performing regularly throughout the Kern County music scene.

In 2023, CatBox entered Bakersfield’s Aum Studio with producer Brian Boozer to record its debut release, Nothin to Prove EP. Frequent performing built the band a local following and led to the addition of Medka Thompson, a familiar face in the crowd who quickly became an essential creative force within the group. This led to the release of the Utopia in Dystopia EP in 2024, followed by the band’s latest EP Demons in 2025.

Known for its dynamic live performances and evolving sound, CatBox continues to carve out a space in the modern indie rock landscape, writing music that’s both intimate and loud, nostalgic and forward-moving. With echoes of Metric’s urgency, The Beths’ melodic punch, Coldplay’s emotional sweep, and the raw edge of Alanis Morissette, CatBox delivers modern indie rock that’s equal parts cathartic and hook-driven. Schneider’s lyrics dig into the human experience with themes centered around nostalgia, fractured relationships and the search for self-confidence.

CatBox musically captures the feeling of standing at an emotional crossroads and choosing to move forward anyway.