Who has suprised you in the past?

[riizch]

Every time I've been to Leeds, there have been a couple of bands that have really suprised me with how good they were on the day. It's not that I'd never heard of them before, or that I had heard of them but didn't like them before I saw them or anything...I just went to see them having no real expectations at all, and ended up being pretty blown away. Last year, it was Sonic Boom Six for me. I'd heard a few songs and thought they sounded ok, but when we saw them open the main stage last year on the Sunday at Leeds, I thought they were absolutely amazing.

Which bands have suprised you guys over the years, and are any of them making an appearance this year?

[Vacant0]

The Hives in 2004 and Metallica in 2008 - ye, I know its Metallica, but I'd lost interest in metal years back, went to watch them for half hour out of duty to my 14-year-old-self more than anything; and well, they were beyond awesome, just wish I'd watched more of the set.

Edited August 7, 2010 by Vacant0

[Vieuphoria]

Soulsavers i knew were good... went to see them last year.... and Holy f**k they shot up to one of my favourite bands. Amazing.

[Electricityscape]

White Lies, me and my friends just popped along for a while to fill a gap while waiting for The Prodigy, and they were amazing. Ende up missing first few songs of The Prodigys because White Lies were so good. So good infact we decided to go to a gig of theirs a couple months later.

[Englishdragon]

When Artic Monkeys played the main stage first I said hundreds of times that they wouldnt make it sub headlining the main stage and they blew me away. Very impressed.

There have been a few others who I thought would be worth a watch but ended up being really impressed, I thought Gallows last year were a lot better than I was expecting, Kaiser Cheifs a few years ago

[rexclark]

1999 - The Flaming Lips, I'd heard a few tracks but nothing could prepare me for how amazing they were.

2003 - The Darkness, anyone who was there will know what I mean, they were fantastic.

2004 - Soulwax, went along with no expectations and they turned into my favourite band.

2005 - The Cribs, quite alot of talk about them but live they really are something else.

2008 - Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, went along on the back of Thou Shalt Not Kill and discovered a freal gem, one of the best live acts around today.

[Englishdragon]

1999 - The Flaming Lips, I'd heard a few tracks but nothing could prepare me for how amazing they were.

2003 - The Darkness, anyone who was there will know what I mean, they were fantastic.

2004 - Soulwax, went along with no expectations and they turned into my favourite band.

2005 - The Cribs, quite alot of talk about them but live they really are something else.

2008 - Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, went along on the back of Thou Shalt Not Kill and discovered a freal gem, one of the best live acts around today.

[Vacant0]

2008 - Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, went along on the back of Thou Shalt Not Kill and discovered a freal gem, one of the best live acts around today.

[Lithium05]

Kaiser Chiefs last year were awesome.

Besides that I'm not sure there's been many truely surprisingly good acts for me:.. Surprisingly bad on the other hand I could name many!

[rexclark]

Darkness haved to be the worst band ever to grace the main stage (and im including daphne and celeste in that)

[wehttamuk]

As other people have mentioned the Kaiser Chiefs were one for me - didn't love them before seeing them, but they really got the crowd going and I didn't realise how many songs I actually knee!

Arcade Fire are another - I'd listened to their first album and liked it, but they blew me away when I saw them.

Also remember really liking Bedouin Soundclash when they headlined, despite only playing about 3 songs!

Sure there are more....

[PeterD]

I have to agree with Rex Clark, I had such a laugh watching The Darkness, a good day that one.

Surprises for me, and I had seen them a number of times, but not paid attention due to them being so much up their own arses, was Bloc Party last year. Fantastic set, really enjoyable.

[JaggySnake92]

Mariachi El Bronx- Main Stage opener Saturday 2009

Such a great start to the day and they were truely amazing. Lots of fun

[Englishdragon]

Well I quite enjoyed them back in 03 before they got up there own arse.

[kev1664]

First Leeds was 2008, didnt really see many bands that I didn't really know about.

2008 - Manics were awesome, really surprised me that I knew so many of there songs.

2008 - Alkaline trio, thougth they would be okay but surpassed my expectations.

2009 I done a lot more moving around the stages and found a load of good performances.

2009 - Manchester Orchestra blew me away and gave me goosepimples

2009 - Kaiser Chief's, don't really like them on CD but were probably act of the weekend.

2009 - Them Crooked Vultures, enjoyed every minute of it even though I hadn't heard anything before the festival.

2009 - Lostprophets, A set full of energy and Hits, really good.

2009 - Gallows, hadn't heard anything of them before seeing them and thought they were class, a lot of git in their set.

2009 - Pulled apart by horses, 30 mins of pure fun, the tent was going mental.

2009 - Dinosaur pile up, made me go see them again after the festival.

[joelovesleeds!]

First Leeds was 2008, didnt really see many bands that I didn't really know about.

2008 - Manics were awesome, really surprised me that I knew so many of there songs.

2008 - Alkaline trio, thougth they would be okay but surpassed my expectations.

2009 I done a lot more moving around the stages and found a load of good performances.

2009 - Manchester Orchestra blew me away and gave me goosepimples

2009 - Kaiser Chief's, don't really like them on CD but were probably act of the weekend.

2009 - Them Crooked Vultures, enjoyed every minute of it even though I hadn't heard anything before the festival.

2009 - Lostprophets, A set full of energy and Hits, really good.

2009 - Gallows, hadn't heard anything of them before seeing them and thought they were class, a lot of git in their set.

2009 - Pulled apart by horses, 30 mins of pure fun, the tent was going mental.

2009 - Dinosaur pile up, made me go see them again after the festival.

[Englishdragon]

You get easily surprised!

The most fun I've had at Leeds was watching Mike Patton & Rahzel in 2004. Stumbled into the tent to see what was happening whilst Green Day drew the crowd and ended up having a right laugh. Good times.

[JonnyHarper]

Dinosaur pile-up in 08 - i only went to see them on the introducing stage cause they had a funny name and i was pleasantly surprised! Seen them at their own gig and at reading 09 now, nice to see them progressing so well

[shinobi93]

Leeds 2009 was my first:

Enter Shikari - had only heard one or two songs before the festival but loved their set and have seen them twice since!

Placebo - never thought they would be anything but good, but they simply blew me away

Dananananaykroyd - decided to check them not knowing who they were (we were only walking past) and they suprised me

[Tom1889]

2008 - F*cked Up on the Lock Up stage, absolutely blew me away.

2009 - Enter Shikari. Kinda knew what was coming but I'd never seen them before so they were great.

2009 - Placebo. Had no idea what to expect but they were easily the best band I saw over the weekend and probably one of the best bands I've ever seen.

[kev1664]

2008 - F*cked Up on the Lock Up stage, absolutely blew me away.

2009 - Enter Shikari. Kinda knew what was coming but I'd never seen them before so they were great.

2009 - Placebo. Had no idea what to expect but they were easily the best band I saw over the weekend and probably one of the best bands I've ever seen.

[shinobi93]

Although they were good, I was left a little disapointed with there set because they played too many from there new album. I would have preferred a few more from the back catalogue with it being a festival set.

[mattl]

I'll do it year by year since I've been going.

2003 - The Darkness, wasn't expecting anything close to how good they were, quality singsongs and Generally a brilliant middle of the day band. Such a shame they became too big, too fast and completeley and utterly blew their Headlining slot a year later.

2004 - The Hives, very lively set, The highlight of the weekend for me.

2005 - Arcade Fire, completely blew me away, didn't really know what to expect but when they started with "wake up" I was transfixed. Absolutely fantastic.

2006 - Feeder, Ran down all the singles from over the years, just ramped up the party atmosphere, made my weekend jumping around to Buck Rodgers!

2007 - The Living End, The Bronx and Capdown. I don't think those need justification really. Simply brilliant.

2008 - The Gaslight Anthem, reeled off a really good set, wasn't expecting anything like the set they pulled out.

2009 - A Wilhelm Scream, just happened to wander in the tent as they started, one of the best sets of the weekend.