McFly vs Busted at Wembley Arena
It’s a Friday night at Wembley’s OVO Arena and the crowd is braced for a battle – McFly versus Busted – yet what unfolds feels more like a celebration than a clash, a showcase of British pop-rock royalty. The night is split into three parts, each band having their own moment to shine, before joining forces to compete for the audience’s affection.
The rivalry is teased from the start, though no one quite knows who will appear first. Suddenly, McFly launch out of the floor, stage ablaze, as Where Did All the Guitars Go? kicks everything into gear. It’s the perfect opening, as the band declare “rock and roll is good for the soul”.
The stage is set up almost in the round – square-shaped and protruding into the crowd. The design pulls the bands closer to their fans, while a moving light rig twists and bends dramatically overhead. For performers with such decorated histories, the production is unsurprisingly spectacular.
McFly power through their biggest hits with ease, each one a burst of euphoric nostalgia. Room on the Third Floor and It’s All About You bring the pace down, demonstrating the band’s range, before Red sends energy levels soaring again. Celebrating their 22nd consecutive year as a band, their stage presence is honed and their charisma assured as the audience remains utterly captivated.
Then comes the handover. A cage-like screen drops, concealing McFly and unveiling Busted. The contrast is immediate: a notably stripped-back production with fewer pyros and theatrics, but a raw confidence that speaks to the band’s star power. Notably absent is member James Bourne, too ill to join the tour, as bandmate Matt Willis tearfully announces his brother as a stand-in guitarist for several songs. At times, the duo are visibly nervous to cover Bourne’s parts, even asking the audience to take over for the opening of Sleeping with the Lights On. The response is resounding and the emotion palpable as phone lights fill the arena. Between the banter and big riffs, there’s a real sense of tenderness and togetherness – an acknowledgement of two bands who shaped a generation.
Busted fire through their repertoire – Thunderbirds Are Go and Who’s David are explosive highlights – but it’s not until nearly two hours in that the promised “battle” finally erupts. As Busted’s effortless charm threatens to relegate their counterparts to a support slot, McFly refuse to go down without a fight. Both drummers rise from the floor for a thunderous face-off before bassists Matt and Dougie take to the stands, trading disses and dueting on I Hate Your Guts. It’s chaotic, funny and brilliantly entertaining, though you can’t help wishing the battle theme had been threaded through earlier.
The encore blurs the line between rivals, starting with a McBusted track (the bands’ joint endeavour) and culminating in an inevitable finale of Year 3000. The song explodes like a time capsule of pure joy, as the crowd laps up every moment.
McFly vs Busted isn’t really about winners or losers. It’s about friendship, fun and the enduring thrill of live music. Comparison may have clouded their early years, but tonight is proof that both bands remain masters of noughties pop-rock, and if we’ll let them, they’ll keep it alive, side by side.
Katherine Parry
Photos: Elliott Ingham
For further information and future events, visit McFly’s website here and Busted’s website here.
Watch the video for Honey I’m Home here:
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