ShareBusted vs McFly performing their 2025 Tour at The Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on Wednesday 15th October 2025.
Review by Kevin Cooper
A packed crowd stepped into the Motorpoint Arena on Wednesday night for the second of three Nottingham dates for Busted vs McFly, expecting nostalgia and entertainment and they were not disappointed as boy band fever hit.
Before One Direction became a worldwide phenomenon Busted and McFly were the ones battling it out at the top of the UK charts and their enduring popularity with fans was evident as they belted out a thirty-one strong set list incorporating each side’s biggest and most memorable hits.
McFly were the first to hit the stage and right from the off Danny Jones got everyone on their feet with their 2023 single Where Did All The Guitars Go? and quickly followed up with Star Girl, the first of a string of chart toppers performed by the band who still have all of their boyish charm.
That Girl, One For The Radio and I’ll Be Okay were all given an airing and another crowd pleaser Obviously was lapped up by the Arena crowd showcasing Dougie Poynter’s energy and Harry Judd’s rock solid drumming holding the whole thing together.
The Heart Never Lies rounded off their hour long set before a quick stage change saw Busted’s Matt Willis and Charlie Simpson arrived to ramp up the rock and launched straight into Crashed The Wedding. Explaining that James Bourne was sitting this tour out due to health problems, his younger brother and guitarist Chris was introduced who displayed great stage presence from the off.
Meet You There and You Said No were included and Sleeping With The Light On turned the Arena into a sea of phone lights as the guitars hit harder and the vocals seemed more polished. What I Go To School For rounded out their set before the battle between the bands began.
A McBusted song, Hate Your Guts saw Poynter and Willis musically slugging it out whilst Danny Jones and Charlie Simpson came together to duet on Busted’s 3am and McFly’s Not Alone. For the encore, each band was given a final opportunity to outshine each other with McBusted’s What Happened To your Band, McFly’s Shine A Light and Busted’s Year 3000.
McFly’s performance had been extremely fast paced, energetic and fun, whilst Busted, with a man down brought their own gritty explosive energy to the party. In truth, it hadn’t really been a battle. It felt more like a celebration, two bands, two eras, one stage and a set of fans singing their hearts out.