Busted and McFly walked into Leeds First Direct Arena like it was 2004 and they had something to prove. Spoiler: they didn’t. But that didn’t stop them from delivering two hours of explosive, emotional, and at times unhinged pop-rock mayhem that reminded everyone why they’ve stayed relevant long after the teen mags folded.
The night opened with a crowd-pleasing warm-up, Bohemian Rhapsody into Livin’ On A Prayer, with lights flickering and phones already in the air. By the time the entire arena was on their feet doing the YMCA, you could tell this wasn’t going to be a gig that took itself too seriously. Then the house lights dropped, the screens glitched into retro-TV visuals, and McFly jumped on stage mid-firework. From there, it was chaos in the best possible way.
McFly’s set was full of classic hits, singalongs, and solid stage banter. Star Girl brought big disco energy, and One for the Radio had the crowd clapping along with fists in the air. There were sentimental moments too, The Heart Never Lies was played on a fairy-lit piano, and All About You turned into a faux New Year’s Eve countdown complete with phone torch lights. The crowd laughed, sang, and fully bought into it all. And while the production was slick—flickering spotlights, colour-coded mood lighting, fireworks on cue, it never felt over-rehearsed. Just a band who know exactly how to work a room.
Then came Busted.
The screen dropped, pyro kicked off again, and the energy shifted into something louder, looser, and funnier. They opened with Crashed the Wedding and didn’t let up. James Bourne was noticeably missing (due to illness), but the band handled it with typical self-awareness, joking about calling Jedward as a replacement before introducing James’s brother Chris on guitar, who you might recognise from the Year 3000 video. Leeds took it in their stride, shouting along to every lyric like nothing had changed.
And if McFly’s vibe is a bit more polished, Busted’s remains delightfully messy. They joked about Charlie leaving the band (“Shall we forgive him now?”), teased fans, acknowledged wild signs in the crowd, and had moments of genuine connection, particularly during Sleeping with the Light On, when they asked the audience to sing James’s verse. Phones lit up again and the arena turned into a sea of lights and soft harmonies, proving that even with the jokes, the heart of it all still lands.
The two bands shared the stage again later on, staging a fake band feud with a surprisingly intense drum battle, balcony banter, and full-crowd chants. It was absurd, but also very, very fun. At one point, a random fan got hold of a mic and shouted “Matt sucks!”, which turned into a chant across the arena, Matt, for his part, pretended to be hurt. Everyone else just laughed and joined in.
The final stretch hit hard: Air Hostess, Colours in Her Hair, Shine a Light, and Year 3000 turned the room into a full-scale pop-punk party. Rainbow lights, confetti, pyro, and a crowd that still knew every word. It wasn’t just about nostalgia, it felt alive, loud, and weirdly emotional.
Busted and McFly don’t need to prove anything at this point. But the Leeds show reminded everyone why we loved them in the first place. They’re older, funnier, a little rougher round the edges, and still absolutely know how to put on a night out worth remembering.
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