Who have you seen who you didn’t like before or weren’t expecting a lot but turned out to be decent
Jared Leto is a weirdo and 30 Seconds To Mars are a dirge but I saw them one Leeds Fest and was surprised at how entertaining it all was. Still wouldn’t listen to them
Also saw A at a Slam Dunk a few years ago and they have a lot better songs and crowd interaction than I would have ever guessed
I really enjoyed Texas
But I dont think I’d ever be like, hmm lets listen to Texas
Editors and Feeder.
Editors are brilliant live, but i also like them
Texas for me too, had a ball
Kaiser Chiefs
Calvin Harris
Got free tickets for Papa Roach in Southampton about seven years ago, went along expecting some moderate background music for drinking to but they absolutely killed. Opened with Last Resort and just did not let up after that. Did about an hour and the whole place was going nuts. Cannot listen to their music but will concede that Coby Dick puts on a hell of a show. Well played, Mr Dick.
Saw Neil Young/Crazy Horse years ago and although I like some of his music, I thought it would be boring as shit. It was very far from being boring as shit.
Feeder was my first ever gig, so I had nothing to compare them too at the time, but I enjoyed them.
Saw both Nizlopi and Chumbawumba at Cambridge Folk Festival, both put on very entertaining shows.
Travis and The Thrills back in the early/mid-00s. I had no interest in either and was just keeping friends or family company for the night. However, both bands were incredibly tight and the crowd reactions were insanely good fun. Probably haven’t listened to either since then, though…
I saw an Elvis Costello tribute gig in a pub in Brighton as a student years ago.
Knew next to nothing about Costello but was blown away by how good the lyrics and songs were and became a fan. Had a brilliant time.
Not bad for a fiver.
Travis when they were huge. Very few bands came to Plymouth when I was growing up, so loads of people went even if they weren’t that into them. Think I knew the whole record from the 6th form common room stereo.
Slide Show into Blue Flashing Light blew me away and remains one of my favourite gig memories. I will maintain that they are both great songs until the day I die, even if the rest leaves me pretty cold.
Both texas and robbie williams at a festival, think separate ones but who knows, were pretty decent. Although moyles as the hype man before robbie was ugh.
Junior Senior, Reading 2002 - amazing show.
Ocean Colour Scene at a small local festival about 10 years ago- not exactly a groundbreaking band but you don’t always want that at the end of a long day and enjoyed it a lot (don’t think I have listened since). Good voice.
was going to say I was at this, but just checked setlist fm, and they’ve played the Pavilions six times! Would have been one of the two (!) Feb 2002 shows. Also saw Coldplay there around the same time, and across those two gigs the supports were Doves and Idlewild, which is very tasty indeed, but at this distance I can’t remember who played with who.
which leads to me to remember the time I went to see Idlewild at Shin-kiba Studio Coast, and they were really not into it and going through the motions, but one of the supports was Maximo Park. It was the first time I’d seen them, and they were unbelievably good. Fan for life now.
Hans Koch at Downtown Music Gallery a number of years back (in their old space). Tight quarters at a little music shop, solo reeds, I wasn’t prepared for how powerful he was going to be. Just a horse of a player.
Maybe not entirely fair in this thread as I knew and loved his stuff already, but standing 6 feet from the guy as he worked was something else entirely.