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A night full of nostalgia and noughties hits in sunny Margate was kicked off by first support act, four-piece band; SOAP. Busted fans were already familiar with the high-energy band after also being the opening act for them on their 20th anniversary arena tour last year under their previous name, The Tyne.
With evident pop rock influence and recommended for fans of Fall Out Boy and Paramore, they were the perfect band to get the crowd warmed up for the unforgettable night.
Next up was YouTube star NOAHFINNCE, with an energetic blend of indie and pop-punk vibes, the crowd were certainly getting pumped for Busted. Noah’s impressive vocal range was paired with punchy guitar riffs and an infectious stage presence, drawing the crowd in from vendors as the set continued. With each song, Noah’s fun and dynamic interaction with the audience kept the energy levels soaring with the crowd mirroring his and the band’s enthusiasm. With a UK tour coming this November, NOAH FINNCE is definitely one to watch.
Just after the sun set, at 9:15 busted hit the stage with none other than their hit ‘Air Hostess’ and all of the 20 and 30-something crowd were swept into a wave of nostalgia as if no time had passed since we first heard their iconic tracks. The energy was off the charts and this was only the beginning of the hits!
Next up were some more fan favorites; ‘Meet You There’ and ‘Loser Kid’, both reimagined on 2023’s Greatest Hits 2.0 reboot. These tracks showcased a slightly more matured and evolved version to the Busted we grew up with, blending their signature sound and lyrics with a modern twist. The crowd however, haven’t changed a bit, singing along to every word with the same passion that the three piece poured into their performance.
Busted then followed up with more classics, starting with their chart topping single ‘You Said No’, followed by ‘Everything I Know’ and ‘Sleeping With The Light On’ all taken from their iconic self-titled 2002 debut album. By this point, the nostalgia was in full swing, all singing at their top of their lungs, immersed in the trip down memory lane. The band then launched into a high-energy cover of Hanson’s 1997 hit “MMMBop”, a track that also appears on their Greatest Hit’s 2.0 album. A thirs into the set, the atmosphere was nothing short of electric.
Introduced by bassist Matt Willis, ‘Good One’ was the first new song of the night. The catchy 2023 single had the crowd swaying in unison with hands in the air. Despite it being a much newer track, it felt instantly familiar, blending with Busted’s string of classic hits, showcasing the band’s evolution.
The crowd absolutely erupted when Busted launched into their iconic hit ‘What I Go To School For’. With the updated lyrics cheekily acknowledging Miss. Mackenzie’s age-now 53-the fans were belting out every word as if it was 2002 all over again. The sea of red ties, throwback Busted T-shirts and smiles in the crowd created a scene that bought everyone back to their school days. The nostalgia didn’t stop there and kept going when they powered right into ‘Who’s David’. Every song seemed to spark more of a reaction than the last, with louder screams and each chorus louder than the last.
As the set drew to a close, next was 2004’s ‘Thunderbirds Are Go’, the iconic song written by McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Busted’s own James Bourne, for the film Thunderbirds, ignited the crowd with a sea of flashing lights and swaying hands. The momentum continued with the unforgettable B side ‘3AM’ and ‘She Wants To Be Me’. Charlie’s vocals are still as flawless and powerful as ever.
Busted started to close out the night with an electric performance of their legendary single ‘Crashed The Wedding’. With over 31 million streams to date, this iconic track ignited the crowd yet again. Following the performance, we heard a story from bassist Matt Willis about video’s he had seen of McFly bad mouthing them, asking the crowd to scream louder if they thought Busted were better than McFly. They then smoothly moved into their final and most iconic song ‘Year 3000’, with Matt saying that McFly would go off stage and make everyone ask for an encore.
Words: Lorna Hayes
Cover Photo: Simon Arinze
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