Unida, Void Droid, Under The Sun | Κύτταρο Live Club

Upon hearing about the upcoming Athens gig of the historic and, for the American stoner scene, iconic Unida, without a second thought I decided this was a live show I shouldn't miss. Joining them at Κύτταρο (Facebook, Instagram) were Void Droid and Under The Sun.

Touring without John Garcia...

When the venue's small size relative to the band's name and the relatively affordable ticket price for the night were announced, I got into digging for more info on the band's current situation. That's when I found out that Kyuss alum John Garcia and founding member of Unida, would not be taking part in the band's current tour. Nevertheless, it's happening with his blessing.

This fact made me reconsider my presence that night. However, my longing to hear live some of the stoner anthems the band has released, plus the thought that they'd surely be seeking at least a worthy replacement for their legendary frontman, led me to decide not to miss their show. After all, this is a band that's kept me company through the years of stoner dominance and one I hadn't managed to see live again. And in the end, I wasn't disappointed…..

So on Friday the 13th (of October), we found ourselves at the historic venue Κύτταρο to see what the night had in store for us.

All people Under The Sun

The Athenian opened the night, around 21:15, Under The Sun. The band for 30 minutes delivered a tightly crafted set with a mix of sludge/stoner/doom sounds. And of course, rhythms that got plenty of heads nodding, even though the venue hadn't filled up much yet. Among the tracks they performed, a standout was their cover of When the Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin , to which they gave a sludgy touch, bringing it into their own territory.

I've seen the band before. This time at Κύτταρο, they seemed tighter to me, with a solid rhythm section. At the same time, the guitars kept swapping lead duties depending on the track, while the singer delivered some characteristically heavy performances.

The band, who define themselves as a «Sludgerotic Heavy Rock band», have released one EP and are currently recording their first album. Recommended for all fans of the aforementioned musical idiom.

Void Droid from your hometown….

Next up, taking the baton at Κύτταρο, were the well-known and by no means to be overlooked Void Droid. The band has happily notched up 10 years of presence in discography and live shows. By now, they've gained all the experience needed to whip up the crowds who come see them.

From the start, they lit up the venue with tracks from their whole discography as well as new melodies they're working on. The whole band operated like a well-oiled machine. Often, they'd interact with the crowd, who responded with enthusiasm to the band's recognizable hits. Many of them were singing along to the lyrics for the roughly 45 minutes their set lasted.

Void Droid have gained a fanatical crowd that follows them wherever they play, and they themselves are a guarantee of an enjoyable concert experience. So look for the Droids! You won't be disappointed!

UNIDA reunited!

And so, a little after 23:00 the time came to enjoy the main course of the evening!

So what if over 20 years have passed since their last release, and if Arthur Seay showed up with a white beard like some other Gandalf (or Santa Claus, whichever suits you better…), while on bass there's a little old gentleman named Collyn McCoy, looking like a walking advertisement for how Tennessee whiskey is made, the band hit the stage with a steamroller attitude!

Starting off with Wet Pussycat and Thorn from the album Coping With The Urban Coyote, turned the place upside down, although to my surprise the venue wasn't packed to bursting. And that's because those who didn't show up missed the chance to enjoy a charismatic singer, the delightful Mark Sunshine!

The Mark didn't just fill in for the absent Garcia, but building on his melodic lines, gave the songs' interpretations greater range, while showing that his vocal abilities are cut out for bigger things! What's more, his mood and his movement on stage had something of a 70's old school performer aesthetic.

The whole band showed from the start that they'd come to offer an unforgettable evening to everyone in attendance, not caring whether they were playing to 1000 or 100 people. A telling sign of their mood, the decision as early as the third song to kick off an endless jamming, during which they handed out plastic cups to the audience and started serving from a bottle of Jack Daniels! How could you not have a good time!

Knowing how to become one with the audience!

The rest just as high-energy, they treated us to new songs that they're preparing for their return to the studio, which sounded amazing live! I'm sure their new album, whether it's recorded with Sunshine or marks the return of Garcia, will give us unique moments.

And after they wrapped up their set with "whirlwind" tracks like Human Tornado and Black Woman, they left us with promises of a quick return to our country and anticipation for their studio comeback! We'll be waiting!

In conclusion: Since a lot is said about sound quality in various venues and festivals held in our country, I have to say that ΚΥΤΤΑΡΟ consistently delivers quality sound at the events held there, respecting the audience in attendance, and maybe it's better to seek out venues like this to spend unique musical nights!