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In the vibrant, sometimes chaotic, heart of Dublin's live music landscape, a band called Sundo is carving out a niche with a sound as diverse and dynamic as its members' origins. Sundo isn't just a band; it's a convergence of global influences, a testament to the power of shared musical passion, and a beacon for the high-energy, heavy rock and grunge ethos.
From the thrash metal scenes of Paraguay to the eclectic sounds of Brazil, the classical rock obsession of a globe-trotting vocalist, and the indie-tinged rock sensibilities of a North Dublin bassist, Sundo embodies a compelling narrative of how disparate paths can lead to a unified, powerful sonic identity.
As they prepare to unleash their "loud and high energy" performance at Out of Order Vol. 5, presented by Tune Hoppers at the iconic Fibber Magees Basement, it's clear that Sundo is more than just an emerging act—they are a story waiting to be heard, felt, and experienced.
Every band has an origin story, and Sundo's is uniquely pragmatic yet serendipitous. The name itself, now synonymous with their "raw energy", came about almost by accident. "Originally, our name was Sundown, but we were not 100% convinced of the name," recalls the band.
The shift to Sundo happened during a mundane task: setting up an app to calculate the split of rehearsal costs. "We named ourselves Sundo there. We’ve stuck with that name until now". This unpretentious beginning hints at the band's down-to-earth approach, where the music itself takes precedence over elaborate branding.
The seeds of Sundo were sown when Carlos, a guitarist with a rich musical history, connected with Gleb, a vocalist whose powerful range and love for classic rock would become a cornerstone of their sound. "I met Gleb through some mutual friends. He mentioned he enjoys singing at karaoke places," Carlos recounts.
Their shared love for certain bands and songs immediately clicked, leading to an agreement to jam. Gleb swiftly brought in other musicians, Artur on drums and Felipe on bass, and around June 2023, the initial iteration of Sundo began to rehearse, diving into covers of beloved bands.
What truly distinguishes Sundo is the rich tapestry of its members' individual histories and cultural backgrounds, each thread contributing to the band's distinctive sound.
Carlos, the band's guitarist, hails from a small city in the south of Paraguay, where his musical journey began on classical guitar before moving to bass and then electric guitar. "I got my first electric guitar after a few years and at about 19 I moved to the capital and joined a thrash metal band called The Force," he shares.
The Force quickly gained notoriety in the Paraguayan metal scene, releasing a couple of albums. Carlos's experience in that intense environment, combined with later jams of classic repertoire, instilled in him a deep appreciation for Classic Rock, particularly Thin Lizzy, a band Sundo now enjoys covering. His move to Ireland in 2022 eventually set the stage for Sundo's formation.
Gleb, the formidable vocalist, brings a truly international perspective, having grown up across Estonia, Russia, the USA, and Ireland. His musical palate was broad from an early age, encompassing pop, techno, and rap, but eventually, "grew to obsess over classic rock especially". He speaks with reverence for vocalists like Freddie Mercury and Jeff Buckley, noting, "The memory of Freddie’s voice still makes arenas light up in unison with chants of 'we are the champions'. And Jeff can express limitless emotion which just keeps blowing my mind".
Gleb's earliest musical memory is a poignant one: "My dad whipped out some traditional jolly tunes on the accordion and started singing. I was amazed and quickly forgot that I was sick and the pain disappeared. It was magic". This early exposure to music's transformative power, coupled with his parents' constant encouragement, deeply shaped his connection to sound.
Hannah, the band's bassist, is North Dublin born and raised, grounding Sundo in local grit and a wide-ranging appreciation for music. "I’ve been playing instruments since I was a young child. I grew up surrounded by music and my influences are wide-ranging – I listen to everything from indie to R’n’B, folk, rap, funk to shoegaze," she explains.
Hannah’s rock roots run deep, heavily influenced by her father's choice of car music. "My dad used to play bands like Pixies and Dinosaur Jr. in the car when I was younger... I’ve been a rock fan since I was a kid and hopefully that comes across in my playing with Sundo!". Her multi-instrumental prowess (guitar, songwriting, bass, drums, keys, mandolin) makes her an invaluable asset.
Artur, known as Tuta on drums, hails from Brazil, a country renowned for its diverse musical landscape. "The music scene is very diverse and so I had the chance to be exposed to plenty of different stuff," Tuta notes. He started playing drums at 11, inspired by Charles Gavin and Phil Collins, but quickly "fell right into the Ramones as soon as I caught the sticks".
His uncle’s influence in jamming with friends and family has been a constant, leading him to discover new bands and albums. Tuta’s childhood memories of playing with his brother, who was "demanding as shit," still resonate, pushing him to strive for excellence in his drumming.
Sundo's journey wasn't without its early challenges. After their initial rehearsals in mid-2023, the end of that year and early 2024 saw a period of decreased activity. "We weren’t very active, and after a couple of more rehearsals we parted ways with Felipe our bass player and that’s where the second part of our history started," the band states. This was a "hardest moment," especially given Felipe's enthusiasm. However, "musically, he was in a different place and not as committed to the project as the other three," necessitating a difficult but crucial decision to move forward.
This period led to a "soft relaunch," a time for introspection and realignment of their collective goals. Luckily, Carlos's discovery of Beardfire Studios proved to be a turning point. The band decided to join Beardfire's MyBand programme, seeking guidance to "gain a better sense of direction and refine our sound". This strategic move proved instrumental in shaping their future.
It was through the MyBand programme that Sundo found their missing piece: Hannah. Initially serving as an in-house mentor and supporting them on bass, Hannah's "invaluable guidance" helped them develop their identity. Her skills as a multi-instrumentalist allowed her to "pinpoint areas needing adjustment, to advise".
The connection was undeniable, and after a period of seeking a new bassist, the band found the courage to ask Hannah to join permanently. "Upon meeting Hannah in late 2024, our lineup was complete," they confirm. Hannah's perspective on joining was immediate: "When these guys asked me if I wanted to keep jamming with them there was no question. I love playing in this band, love our sound and love the guys".
The decision to make music together as a band, rather than pursuing solo projects, is a shared conviction within Sundo. Carlos expresses, "The music I want to play often involves a band situation". Gleb adds, "Making music means someone has got to hear it.
A band scenario is the best for that". Tuta eloquently describes the unique bond: "I cannot think of anything similar to playing with other people. It’s a unique connection that allows us to have a glimpse of something much bigger than ourselves. 'Getting in the groove' makes so much sense once you are in there".
These collective aspirations quickly led to significant breakthroughs. "Definitely, our breakthrough was our first concert at the MyBand showcase," the band recalls. "We were delighted with how the audience reacted to our performance, and we were left with the will to keep going and play more music". I think that was our first milestone as a band and individually.”
It’s the first time we performed as a unit, and it felt great," they explain, noting that their "consistent effort... paid off," building their confidence to perform more. A particularly proud moment for the band is "Surprising ourselves sometimes that the first time we play a song together, we get it right. Later rehearsal just focused on catching up to that first take".
So, what does Sundo sound like? The band describes their collective sound as "Loud and high energy. We are drawn to heavy riffs and heavier grooves". Their signature isn't about complex arrangements or production tricks, but rather a visceral approach: "Everything max loud, raw energy, love for music".
At their core, Sundo is currently a cover band, with everyone suggesting songs that fit their style, which they then develop. However, the prospect of original material is exciting: "We do have originals loosely in the works, which is exciting as we have 4 very creative minds in the band".Their lyrical themes, even in their nascent original compositions, suggest a depth beyond typical rock anthems.
They speak of lyrics "coming from an ethereal unknown place communicating from its perspective," alongside themes of "a rush, a pace, a crackhouse of grunge with a good craic, about dynamics of relationships, uncertainties and fears. About moving on in stride and breaking free". The trick, they say, "is not to butcher them, each song makes its own statement". When it comes to creative decisions, the band generally sees "eye to eye".
Sundo's influences are as eclectic as their members. A foundational inspiration in their early days was Alice in Chains, with Carlos even using a Jerry Cantrell signature guitar. Gleb notes that the band has "leaned into every aspect of classic rock and grunge and we are discussing which modern pop songs can be rearranged into rock". This willingness to blend genres speaks to their open-minded approach to sound.
Beyond existing artists, the band envisions future collaborations that could further expand their sonic palette. Tuta, the drummer, expresses a desire to "have an awesome keyboard player like Thijs van Leer to shake things up as a mentor, and show us a whole different world of sound". He also dreams of "Playing a Nação Zumbi song with a Maracatu drumming group", highlighting his deep connection to Brazilian musical heritage.
The band's collective message, inspired by Alice in Chains' "Drone," is "Not quite Dark, not quite light". Gleb elaborates, "To play heavy or dark music with a delicate presence. Add more dynamism and power to lighter songs". Hannah adds that the band shares "many common values and it would be interesting to explore this in our lyric themes".
Ultimately, for Sundo, music is an "attempt to communicate something that is ultimately silent. Something present subjectively in one's mind and present it as an intersubjective tribute, an offering to something that can be heard, seen and felt. A collective journey". This profound view underpins their commitment to deep immersion in sound.
Sundo has ambitious plans for the future. Currently, they are "working gradually on our songs, recording them, and then we can start releasing singles, which is the idea". Looking five years down the line, they hope to "probably have our first records, singles released and why not a tour in Ireland, UK and possibly other countries".
Their dreams extend to the biggest stages in the world. Gleb unequivocally names Glastonbury as a festival he'd love to headline. Tuta, ever sentimental, chooses "the obvious Rock in Rio" and cherishes the thought of playing a slot on the "24h Band Marathon" that happened in his hometown, which he was too young to participate in as a child. These aspirations reflect a band that, despite its humble beginnings, dares to dream big.
Life beyond the stage involves group rituals that keep them grounded. "We love to go and grab something to eat whenever we can or enjoy some pints in the closest pub," they share. In a particularly memorable instance, Tuta, also a cook, "prepared a beautiful rendition of a classic dish from Carlo’s country, Paraguay," bringing their diverse backgrounds full circle.
While acknowledging they currently engage "poorly" with their local and online music community, Sundo is keen to change that, intending to "engage more in the background and figure out a release direction". For now, they are trying to "please our buddies and partners" in terms of how fans influence their creative direction, but are open to seeing how that evolves.
For those eager to connect, Sundo is readily accessible on Instagram and YouTube under the handle @Sundo_Band. "We are very open to having a chat about anything, feel free to reach out to our page and stay tuned," they invite, revealing that "a lot of fans come to our rehearsals, to get inspired themselves". The band promises to add "more content and updates to our online presence as soon as we have more material".
The stage is set for Sundo to deliver an unforgettable performance at Out of Order Vol. 5 on Thursday, September 4, 2025, at Fibber Magees Basement. Attendees can expect an evening brimming with raw energy and a unique blend of familiar and rare tracks. "We do many well known tracks that everyone knows, so sing along," the band teases, but also promises "some lesser known B-Side Bangers too, since B-sides are special too, we know they will have an impact on the audience, with our unique interpretation to them". They even plan to share a story about one of their songs, "Don’t Believe a Word," onstage.
Sundo's appearance is part of a dynamic lineup that includes Italian acoustic prog metalhead Geane, singer-songwriter Brinda, and psytrance DJB, promising a night of diverse and exciting Irish talent. Doors open at 7:30 PM, with the featured artists taking the stage from 9:00 PM until late. This is an opportunity for "Dublin live music lovers" to "discover new Irish artists before they break out" and "connect with Dublin’s music community in an intimate venue".
Do not miss one of the best live music nights in Dublin this September. Sundo embodies the spirit of grassroots music, blending global influences with an underground rock ethos that is both "loud and high energy". Experience the raw power, the collective journey, and the undeniable chemistry of Sundo live. Book your ticket, bring friends, and be part of the energy of Out of Order Vol. 5.
