Busted and McFly Bring Chaos, Chemistry and Choruses to the O2

Alan Bryce
Sep 25
4 min read

O2 Arena London - 21st September 2025

WORDS ALAN BRYCE / McFLY IMAGES ELLIOT INGHAM

Busted and McFly Bring Chaos, Chemistry and Choruses to the O2

It was a night charged with anticipation, denim jackets, and the electric hum of nostalgia as two titans of British pop-rock, Busted and McFly, faced off in a show that felt less like a battle and more like a jubilant reunion. The Busted vs McFly gig on 21st September was a celebration of nearly two decades of intertwined musical journeys, shared fans, and the enduring spirit of pop-punk. For many in the crowd, it was a chance to relive the soundtrack of their youth—catchy hooks, cheeky lyrics, and the spiky-haired energy that first put both bands on the map.

Busted burst onto the scene in 2002 with irreverent anthems like Year 3000 and Crashed the Wedding, while McFly followed in 2004, making history with their chart-topping debut Room on the 3rd Floor. Though rivals on the charts, the two bands were always linked—Tom Fletcher of McFly even auditioned for Busted before forming his own group. That kinship eventually led to 2013’s supergroup McBusted, a pop culture phenomenon that united both fanbases in sold-out arenas. Their shared history of rivalry, reinvention, and reunion underpinned this latest show, proving that their bond—and the joy they bring to their audience—is stronger than ever.

There’s something almost gladiatorial about the billing: Busted vs McFly. Two giants of British pop-rock, sharing a stage, daring you to pick a side. But inside the O2 on 21st September, it quickly became clear that this wasn’t a fight. It was a full-blown celebration of nearly two decades of parallel journeys, a love letter to the pop-punk anthems that raised a generation.

McFly opened the night with the roar of a sold-out crowd behind them. Kicking off with Where Did All the Guitars Go? from their 2023 record Power to Play, the band set the tone with a wall of riffs that underlined their refusal to coast on nostalgia. Still, nostalgia arrived in waves as Star Girl and That Girl sent fans straight back to the mid-2000s, and Room on the 3rd Floor turned the O2 into one massive teenage bedroom circa 2004.

The chemistry between Tom, Danny, Dougie, and Harry was undeniable. They ricocheted between their radio-dominating bangers—Obviously, I’ll Be OK, All About You—and newer cuts with the ease of a band still at the top of their game. The set closed with The Heart Never Lies, and the title rang true: McFly’s heart has always been stitched into their songs, and the crowd repaid them with deafening devotion.

Then came Busted. From the first crash of Crashed the Wedding, the arena went berserk. James Bourne’s absence due to illness could have derailed things, but instead, it added a surprising twist. The trio—Charlie Simpson, Matt Willis, and touring drummer Eddy Thrower—powered through the opening numbers with a stripped-back rawness that only made the songs hit harder. When Matt invited James’s younger brother Chris on stage to fill in on guitar, the crowd erupted. The support for Chris was as loud as the support for James, proof of how deeply Busted’s fans have stuck by them.

With Chris in tow, the band blazed through Loser Kid, Who’s David and Sleeping with the Light On—songs that once soundtracked MSN statuses and messy first loves, but here felt revitalised and ferocious. The trio returned to close with Thunderbirds Are Go and What I Go to School For, reminding everyone that beneath the cheeky lyrics and bubblegum exterior, Busted have always had an explosive live punch.

The third act was where things got wild. The “versus” theme came to life as both drummers were raised from beneath the stage, launching into a pounding, theatrical drum battle. Then came the bass-off: Dougie Poynter and Matt Willis, each perched high on opposite sides of the arena, egging the crowd into a deafening cheer-off during McBusted cut Hate Your Guts. It was ridiculous, overblown, and utterly brilliant.

But the show’s most poignant moment came when Charlie (Busted) and Danny (McFly) duetted on stripped-down versions of 3AM and Not Alone. The two frontmen, voices raw and unguarded, brought the arena to silence before the chaos resumed. Busted stormed back with Air Hostess, McFly countered with 5 Colours in Her Hair, and finally, both bands united for the inevitable Year 3000. By that point, the “battle” was long forgotten—it was about unity, joy, and the sheer weight of two songbooks .

The Busted vs McFly show was never really about winners or losers. Both bands have lived through meteoric rises, brutal breakups, triumphant reunions, and the endless grind of the industry, yet here they stood, still adored, still capable of shaking an arena to its core. What could have been a gimmick instead felt like a victory lap—not just for the bands, but for the fans who grew up with them.

As the final chords of Year 3000 rang out and the house lights came up, it was clear: Busted and McFly’s shared legacy isn’t just about catchy choruses or spiky-haired nostalgia. It’s about survival, reinvention, and the ability to turn adolescent anthems into timeless celebrations. On this night at the O2, everyone went home a winner.

Setlist

McFly