From the first guitar chord it was clear this wasn’t just a nostalgia trip — it was a carefully staged showdown between two acts who have spent the last two decades trading hits, friendly banter and band collaborations.
McFly and Busted have a shared history that’s as much about friendly rivalry as it is mutual respect: after breaking big in the early-00s, they even merged briefly for the McBusted supergroup era, and that playful history underpinned the whole “vs” concept of this tour. The idea — equal parts competition and celebration — landed well with a crowd that clearly relished the throwback.
The O2 was packed and buzzing long before the lights dropped. McFly opened the evening, leaning into the band’s evolution from boy-band chiming pop to fuller pop-rock swagger with the song “Where Did All The Guitars Go?”. Carrying on after that, they performed crowd-pleasers like “Star Girl”, “Obviously” and the acoustic swell of “All About You” were delivered with confidence, and they peppered the set with flashes of tight harmonies that reminded you why they’ve outlasted many of their competitors. The pacing was thoughtful — moments of big singalongs were balanced by quieter, reflective moments that let the crowd get thrown back to album songs such as “That Girl”, Transylvania”, “Lies” and “Red”. The band’s rapport with the audience was warm and playful; banter about the “vs” premise landed laughs without undermining the songs.
Busted followed, and the mood shifted into more raucous, punk-tainted pop-rock territory. The setlist leaned on the band’s early 2000s anthems — “Crashed the Wedding”, “You Said No” and “Thunderbirds Are go!”— but the group also showed they could still take those songs to heavier places live. The performance was high-energy, Charlie Simpson’s voice cutting through with its characteristic edge and Matt Willis pacing the stage with off-hand charisma. There was an undeniable chemistry in how the members traded lines and riffs, even as the audience sensed something missing.
That missing element — James Bourne — cast a soft shadow over the night. Reports and reviews from the week confirmed Bourne had stepped back for health reasons and was not onstage; his absence was addressed directly during the show in an emotional moment where Matt Willis paid tribute and the band asked the crowd to sing certain parts and dedicating “Sleeping With The Light On” to James. Rather than derail the energy, that exchange created one of the evening’s most affecting beats: thousands of voices compensating, communal and tender, and a reminder that these songs have become a part of people’s lives. The tenderness didn’t feel manufactured; it felt earned.
As well as that, James’ brother Chris Bourne appeared on stage to join the band for a few songs, which was a wonderful difference considering last time fans saw him, he was a small boy, driving the car in “Year 3000” music video.
If you’re after specifics, the band’s combined setlist for the night leaned heavily into both bands’ best-known material. Across the gig you could tick off McFly staples — “One for the Radio”, “I’ll Be Ok” and “The Heart Never Lies” — and Busted had classics as well as songs like “Who’s David”, “Loser Kid” and “Meet You There”.
The evening’s structure let each band shine in its own half, then collide for a jubilant joint encore that included Shine a Light and the inevitable confetti-soaked Year 3000. Fans who’d followed the tour setlists knew roughly what to expect, but the live arrangements and the particular evening’s emotional notes made each song feel fresh.
Production values were cheekily theatrical — stage design leaned into the “versus” motif with split lighting and a few tongue-in-cheek visuals that never got in the way of the music.
The sound mix skewed towards clarity for vocals while still giving the guitars and drums enough edge to keep the rock cred intact. Between the bands there were playful provocations — mock battles, onstage interruptions, a battle between the bands drummers – Harry Judd from McFly and Eddy Thrower for Busted – and even a few crowd teases — all handled with a wink.
The evening descending into a variety-show for both acts as they know how to deliver a pop song with muscle and a rock song with a pop heart.
As a slice of the tour as a whole, the O2 night felt cathartic: big, warm, occasionally competitive, and comfortable enough in its own skin to allow for vulnerable moments.
The tour’s route will be via large arenas across the UK and Ireland and the way the nights alternate between who “wins” the battle give it a carnival feel while still respecting the songs.
For long-time fans it’s a chance to relive familiar anthems in an arena setting; for casual attendees it’s a reminder that both bands brought something musically durable to the 00s charts — hooks that still stick, and choreographies of guitar lines and harmonies that reward live performance.
Some of the night’s best moments were when the two acts leaned into genuine musicianship. Charlie Simpson and Danny Jones performing as a duo to “3am” and “I’m Not Alone” had a lot of the crowd with a tear in their eyes. The joint band performances of “Shine A Light” and “Year 3000” was ultimate ending to the show.
In short: the O2 stop on 21st September 2025 was a well-executed, emotionally charged evening that celebrated two bands who defined a chunk of British pop-rock for a generation. It wasn’t just a nostalgia push, it was an event that acknowledged the past while proving these musicians still know how to command a stadium.
Whether you came to cheer your favourite or to watch them spar, you left with at least one anthem in your head and, for a few minutes, a shared memory with everyone around you.
The tour is still running up until November so I urge you to grab a ticket and have one of the best nights.
To follow all the tour antics or stream any of the songs from the setlists, the links have been provided
McFly –
Busted –
Words and Photos by @hayleajaynephotography
Broken Static Magazine 
Leave a comment