LIVE FROM THE PIT: Busted and Mcfly

The stage is set, the fans wait with anticipation in the air, and there’s a preshow playlist featuring the YMCA- it can only mean one thing: Busted vs McFly. The two boy bands that took the world by storm in the noughties are back with a tour bigger than ever, 25 years later, at the BP Pulse Live, Birmingham. In a competition for the history books, sweeping across the UK, there can be only one winner. So who will be named champion and take home the winning title? That’s up for you to decide.

Kickstarting the competition is McFly, launched onto the stage from underneath and packing a punch with the opening song ‘Where Did All The Guitars Go?’ paired with flying sparks and egging the already screaming audience to cheer as loud as they could. 

Blasting straight into fan favourite ‘Star Girl’, the Indie/Alt classic is met with an entire arena of singing voices and excitable energy. Song ritual ‘Star Girl Kicks’, which resembles can-can interchanging leg kicks, is expertly executed by Danny Jones, Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter. Not only are these kicks completed, but also span the width of the stage, and all three of our guitarists run around and connect with fans on every level. 

There are plenty of call and responses from the band to the crowd. McFly know when to drop back and allow the fans to take over, and it only plays to their strengths. A prime example of this is during ‘One For The Radio’, “We Don't Care!” is shouted back and forth, gradually getting louder and louder, and you can’t help but join in. The high energy every member of the band brings is not lost, interacting with fans and connecting one on one multiple times throughout the set.

The huge overhead lighting rig provides visuals on LED screens but also tilts, lowers and is able to somehow make some numbers feel intimate- ‘All About You’ features simple orange-toned backlights, widescreen views of the crowd projected on the back wall and a lowered rig that adds to the intimacy of the moment. 

A mix of ‘Transylvania’ and ‘Lies’, Harry Judd on drums is in his element, with the guitars playing a back and forth between themselves and the drum fills. It’s important to note that all of our guitar players routinely interact with Harry and make sure to highlight him just as much, even if he is more stuck in one place. 

McFly close off their set with ‘Red’, Danny asking everyone in the arena to get down as low as they can before exploding back up in jumps. No corner of the venue is still and only highlights how well McFly engage with their fans- even if you prefer their rivals, you can’t deny that they put on a spectacular performance.

The screens glitch, the large lighting rig coming down to block the view of the audience, leaving everyone in suspense. A red outline of Busted in slowly etched in by a laser pointer mixed with thunderous drums and fire, flashing lights and glitched tv screen imagery. Screens lifted to reveal our second contender of the evening, Busted.

Opening their set with ‘Crashed The Wedding’ is entirely apt for their entrance, as they take to the stage with a storm and confidence. Purple and orange lights cast over the crowd, arms flying up in time with fan favourite lyrics and a rush of excitement that has everyone on their feet. 

Addressing the crowd for Busted, Matt Willis addresses the obviously missing member, James Bourne. Speaking about how obviously disappointed that James cannot join them this evening, that health is so important and that even though he’s not physically there, he's probably “watching a stream right now”. After speaking as a band, Matt and Charlie Simpson let us know that while James is missing, his replacement in the meantime is someone very close to him: his younger brother Chris Bourne. Matt remarks remembering teaching Chris guitar when he was younger, and it's clear to see how excited he is to get to be on the stage joining the band. 

“Are there any loser kids?” is met with loud cheers as we fly through Busted’s tracks. A track that centres around the feeling of being overlooked, bullied when you are younger, but in later years transformed into having acceptance and feeling empowered.

With the absence of James, it’s up to the crowd to sing his verse, which is the first in ‘Sleeping With The Light On’. Phone lights out for James, the entire arena all lit up with the slow swaying lights and filled with the sound of 15,000+ voices. The slower song takes a moment for the crowd to enjoy a more stripped-back number, before we carry on into the faster-paced pop-punk tracks we know and love from Busted. 

“Can we try something?” and when the crowd's response is not loud enough, Matt prompts again, “Can we f*cking try something?!”. Crowd participation is a must have for Busted, with plenty of times for shouting lyrics and call and response well placed throughout- 'Thunderbirds Are Go’ uses the ‘da da da da’ for this expertly. Timed with lights that brighten for when the crowd is to sing, fire pyros that don’t let up for the entire set and some of the best tracks from the 2000s, no wonder Busted are still such a firm favourite.

Closing their set with ‘What I Go To School For’ leaves the crowd on a high and still with much anticipation for how the show will end. Headbanging in time, jumping up and down and commanding the crowd with ease, allowing the audience to sing the final lyrics as the lighting rises once again lowers to cover the stage.

Opening the final battle, Busted vs McFly, our two drummers, Eddy and Harry, play in tandem on centre stage. Cymbals clashing, lights flashing, and fire leaps from the stage repeatedly. While our main attention has been cleverly drawn to the main stage, Matt from Busted and Dougie from McFly have snuck round to opposite sides of the arena, halfway down and in between fans in the seats. Screams of excitement from all fans, no matter what band they are here for or both!

When both are back on the main stage, each band takes turns playing 1-2 songs of their top hits, notably ‘Air Hostess’ for Busted and ‘5 Colours in Her Hair’ for McFly. It’s a fierce battle, and you can’t help but get wrapped up in all the excitement; not singing along is impossible for these most recognisable tracks. 

Joining forces together as McBusted, for our encore, we are treated to ‘What Happened to Your Band’, which is the first time this track has been played since 2019! Closing out with ‘Shine a Light’ and ‘Year 3000’, everyone singing at the top of their lungs, each member of the bands moving together easily- saviouring every second that they can. 

As confetti rains down, it’s not clear who might have actually won the battle- but that's of no matter. The evening has been a prime example of how the 2000s produced some of the best pop-punk British bands, and a masterclass in leaning into rivalry to produce a night that the fans are not going to forget in a while.

Maybe the real winner of Busted vs McFly was the friends we made along the way.

Words: Tyler Whiting

Photos: Mcfly Vs Busted from Halestorm PR