This article was published in 2004.

Futuresound Music can now confirm which thirty bands have got through to the next round of their unsigned competition, Futuresound 2004. There had been a huge response to the competition where over 150 bands entered and the standard of the acts has been of the highest quality to date. This goes to show that the calibre of local bands is at an all-time high at the moment and it has been extremely difficult to whittle it down to only thirty.

The chosen bands will play at a series of gigs at the Cockpit venue in Leeds over the summer - beginning on Monday 28th June - and Music industry judges and an audience vote will decide upon the top six bands who will strut their stuff on stage with other top acts at the Leeds Carling Festival. The full list of dates can be found on The Leeds Gig Guide.

The selected thirty bands are: Yellow Stripe Nine, The Old House, The Sunshine Underground, Buen Chico, The Printed Sound, The Kicks, The Black Helicopters, O Fracas, The Xenith Sound, ¡Forward, Russia!, Ten Seconds Of Chaos, Delta Volts, This Et Al, iLiKETRAiNS, Ridgevex, Threekseven, Zealous, Baby Food, Soberskin, FineApple, Project New City, Nine Pound Note, Robochrist, Indicator, Charly Six, The Alamo, Drat, New Legends, Downdime and ADT.

Amongst the competitors are Buen Chico who were one of the first bands to perform at the Futuresound Unsigned Showcase nights. The alternative indie punks have been making waves in 2004 so far by getting through to the Bright Young Things final, rousing interest from EMI as well as fitting in their A-Levels.

Another band to watch are The Black Helicopters, one of the loudest bands in Leeds at present. Their big riff garage rock and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club swagger could definitely take them to the big time in 2005.

Futuresound wishes the best of luck to all the bands taking part. The competition aims to highlight the exceptional talent that many local acts possess and hopes that the event will aid them in the next step of their musical career.