Busted broke up, and it was a big deal. It really was. You can laugh it up now, but as an eight-year-old kid, it was fucking horrendous. It was like having the dissolution of your parents' marriage played out on the telly...if your parents were really, really good looking. The band's reformation (minus Charlie Simpson) and coalition with McFly, then, was something of a miracle. Finally, a generation could witness a band they grew up with live.
Mind you, the mood in the arena isn't really hyped-up by the smattering of support bands that come beforehand. Young Brando fail to impress, E Of E do a banging medley of Billie Jean and Smells Like Teen Spirit but otherwise fall a bit flat and 3 Dudes are just strange. Bear in mind that they are three teenage brothers who call each other names such as 'boner' and 'sexy'.
After suffering through the pop-rock knock-offs, the lights dim and the audience get what they've been waiting for. A Back To The Future-esque video plays, showing Busted's James Bourne and Matt Willis in some sort of pickle before descending upon the stage in a Delorean. Yes, really.
Screams that only cats can hear emerge from the mouths of young girls as the Busted boys emerge from the car, McFly randomly pop up on stage and the inimitable intro to Air Hostess kicks off.
Four Busted hits later, the band finally give McFly's catalogue a chance to shine. 5 Colours In Her Hair and Obviously are tunes, but the fact that only six of their songs are aired tonight says something about the band. Yes, their singles are singalong winners, but everyone's here to see Busted – even DougiePoynter's grating stage banter doesn't detract from this titanic celebration.
Many were sceptical when this tour was announced. Was it to be merely a nostalgia trip? Was it a plan for future musical endeavours? Whatever your views may be on the reasoning behind it, you can't deny the grandiosity of the show McBusted put on tonight. There are fireworks, there is a UFO, and, obviously, there are some giant inflatable tits during set-closer Year 3000. Of course, the band doesn't need three guitarists and two bassists (even Iron Maiden don't need three guitarists), but when they're blasting out Thunderbirds Are Go, do you really give a toss?
Yes, it's a throwback. Immature dick jokes are made, childhood anthems are aired and James from Busted still looks about 12-years-old. The thing is, it doesn't feel like a cop-out. All six of them look like they're having the absolute time of their lives. Most of the guys from McBusted are now muscle-bound and heavily tattooed, but they've still got enough childish spark within them to satisfy the punters.
McBusted Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Fri May 09 2014 - MANCHESTER Phones 4u Arena
Sat May 10 2014 - MANCHESTER Phones 4u Arena
Sun May 11 2014 - MANCHESTER Phones 4u Arena
Tue May 13 2014 - LIVERPOOL Echo Arena
Thu May 15 2014 - GLASGOW SSE Hydro
Fri May 16 2014 - GLASGOW SSE Hydro
Sat May 17 2014 - BIRMINGHAM LG Arena
Mon May 19 2014 - SHEFFIELD Motorpoint Arena
Tue May 20 2014 - NOTTINGHAM Capital FM Arena
Wed May 21 2014 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Metro Radio Arena
Fri May 23 2014 - CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
Sat May 24 2014 - BRIGHTON Centre
Sun May 25 2014 - BRIGHTON Centre
Tue May 27 2014 - BIRMINGHAM LG Arena
Wed May 28 2014 - BOURNEMOUTH BIC
Thu May 29 2014 - BOURNEMOUTH BIC
Sat May 31 2014 - BELFAST Odyssey Arena
Sun June 01 2014 - BELFAST Odyssey Arena
Mon June 02 2014 - DUBLIN O2 Dublin
Fri June 27 2014 - SCARBOROUGH Scarborough Open Air Theatre
Sat June 28 2014 - WESTON SUPER MARE Beach
Sun June 29 2014 - IPSWICH Chantry Park
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