Busted vs McFly at The O2 delivered a powerful dose of nostalgia, a few surprises, and enough spectacle to make it more than just a throwback. Despite the challenges (notably James Bourne’s absence, we wish him well), it was a memorable night for fans of either band — and for lovers of 2000s pop rock in general.
McFly waste no time making their mark. They rip into the opening with crunching riffs, drenched in purple light and strobe flashes, their energy instantly flooding the arena.
The hits tumble out in quick succession. Star Girl has the entire crowd screaming along, from wide-eyed kids with siblings to women FaceTiming friends mid-chorus. That Girl turns the O2 into a retro doo-wop party, while One for the Radio explodes in a wash of green lights, flailing guitars, and Danny nearly toppling into the drum kit. Their chemistry is effortless — grins spread wide through I’ll Be OK, harmonies glide on Obviously, and Dougie bounds across the stage with gleeful abandon.
By the time the red-saturated frenzy of Red kicks in, Danny is off the stage, singing directly to fans as the floor shakes beneath the crowd’s relentless bounce. They close with The Heart Never Lies: Tom at the piano beneath a burning heart, the rest of the band gathered close, ending on a tender, unified note before vanishing beneath the stage.
The stage parts once more and Busted erupt with Crashed the Wedding. “Thanks to McFly for warming you up,” Matt smirks, before launching into a set that’s rawer in feel but no less driven.
Charlie’s vocals bite through Meet You There and Why, while visuals of lockers and doodled notebooks during Loser Kid and What I Go To School For transport the arena straight back to teenage bedrooms plastered in posters. With James Bourne absent through illness, his brother Charlie Bourne takes up guitar duties — yet it’s the audience who supply the missing spark, their voices swelling to carry every chorus. Sleeping with the Light On becomes the emotional peak: thousands of phone lights shimmer at Charlie’s request, a glittering sea of silver and gold in the dark.
They close at full tilt with What I Go To School For, tearing through the anthem before vanishing once more — the screens flashing a playful “McBusted” tease that leaves the crowd roaring.
For the encore, the giant “VS” flashes once more before dissolving into the long-awaited McBusted reunion. Silhouettes appear against the lights, the crowd erupts, and pure chaos takes over. Tom stumbles on lyrics and laughs it off, Matt plants a lick on his neck, and Dougie ends up on a piggyback ride. It’s messy, unfiltered, and completely joyous. Shine a Light glows with nostalgia, Year 3000 sends the arena into delirium, and Why Can’t We Be Friends ties things up