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Busted Tickets

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About

Essex trio who scored numerous hits with their trademark energetic pop punk

Few bands have as radically different first and second chapters as Southend trio Busted. Longtime friends Charlie Simpson, Matt Willis and James Bourne initially set about highlighting the pop in pop punk, scoring a string of cheeky hits in the early 00s. By the time they’d split and reformed, the band had matured and evolved into a slick 80s-influenced band with more in common with Bruce Hornsby than blink-182.

The trio formed in the Essex coastal town in 2000, landing chart success with singles ‘What I Go To School For’, ‘The Year 3000’, ‘Sleeping With The Light On’ and ‘You Said No’, all taken from their self-titled debut album. Their 2003 follow-up A Present For Everyone yielded three No.1 hits and cemented the band’s popularity.

However, the band’s meteoric rise was abruptly halted when frontman Charlie Simpson left the band in 2005 to focus on his new harder-edged group Fightstar. Willis and Bourne put Busted on ice indefinitely and went in search of their own solo projects. Willis entered and won reality show I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here and discovered an aptitude for acting, including an appearance in celebrated West End chiller 2:22 A Ghost Story.

Willis and Bourne were brought back together in 2013 when the band’s successors in cheerfully cheeky pop punk, McFly, proposed a collaboration. Willis and Bourne signed up and the two bands toured together as McBusted, discovering that Busted’s audience may have grown up in their absence but had lost none of their love for the band. Simpson was entreated to return and agreed, the reunion cemented in 2016 with the album Night Driver, a synth-driven album with an 80s sheen produced by John Fields (Jimmy Eat World, Jonas Brothers).

Despite the radical departure, Busted’s new direction was well received. That didn’t stop the band from re-embracing their former selves on 2019’s Half Way There, a return to the caffeinated pop punk of their first two records. In 2023, Simpson followed bandmate Willis into reality TV when he won ITV’s mystery singer series The Masked Singer.

Busted are celebrating their 20th anniversary in style in 2023, with plans announced for a major UK arena tour as well as a brand new album of re-worked classic hits.

News

  • Stuck In A Lift With… Busted

    Stuck In A Lift With… Busted

    Matt, Charlie and James on their upcoming 20th anniversary tour. Also baked beans, alien lobsters and Jim Carrey.

Reviews

Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 18 reviews
  • Wicked night!

    by Tess on 30/08/2024Hitchin Priory - HitchinRating: 5 out of 5

    So easy to get into and tickets were easy to use. Had a great night definitely recommend

  • They're Pretty Fine

    by NickName123 on 30/08/2024Hitchin Priory - HitchinRating: 4 out of 5

    Bought tickets as Husband is a big fan but had never managed to see Busted live. Parking in Hitchin was an absolute nightmare, after trying our fourth car park we snagged the last available spot. We made it to the venue around 7:30pm (last admission advertised as 8pm) as Scouting for Girls began their set. By the time Busted came on at 8:45 the place was absolutely rammed, everyone smoking and vaping, a lot of people very drunk. The band were good, though the levels on Charlie's mic were off, he kept fading in and out. I felt they could have done a slightly longer set, ultimately they were on for about 75 minutes, which felt short given the cost of the ticket. The venue felt oversold, it was horrifically crowded. Would have been a more pleasant experience if the pitch had been divided into sections and tickets sold accordingly to create a clear path for people instead of barging through. (Disappointing to see nobody else wearing masks either, not even venue staff.)

  • Absolutely fantastic!

    by Julous on 30/08/2024Hitchin Priory - HitchinRating: 5 out of 5

    Busted were awesome, lived up to their past performances in every way. Loved the concert, v.cheeky and fun x

  • Thank you

    by Nikki on 30/08/2024Hitchin Priory - HitchinRating: 5 out of 5

    Honestly guys what a night what a bloody special night they were fantastic and put on the best show im 37 and relived my youth thank you boys !! Your still all gorgeous too hehe

  • Amazing

    by Mildred on 27/08/2024Vivary Park - TauntonRating: 5 out of 5

    Best show I've ever been to would recommend so funny

  • Brilliant Gig!

    by Dee on 15/07/2024Millennium Square Leeds - LeedsRating: 5 out of 5

    Great venue and all the bands were excellent . In particular MUDDY ELEPHANT who opened the show. They should have had a longer set. Nice to see a new , energetic , indie band with fresh ideas. They were absolutely fantastic !!!! One to watch for the future . Doors should have opened a fraction earlier to give people in the queue time to get in. Other than that Amazing!

  • Best band I've seen live by a mile!

    by Nat on 13/07/2024Millennium Square Leeds - LeedsRating: 5 out of 5

    I've lost count of the amount of times I've seen Busted over the last 20 years! They honestly get better every time. So rare to see a band live that sound exactly like listening to them on the radio! Their interactions with the crowd are so heartfelt and genuine and their music just makes me feel happy and nostalgic. Every time one concert finishes I'm immediately looking for more tour dates! Highly recommended seeing Busted live above any other artist!

  • Awesome gig in a fantastic venue

    by Dio73 on 13/07/2024Millennium Square Leeds - LeedsRating: 5 out of 5

    Great gig. Scouting for girls were a bonus. Busted kicked it out of the park. Venue was superb. Didn't have to queue for the bar or toilets.