Hello Busted, my old friend. I’ve seen them once before, back in 2017; 22 year old Sam being financially capable of living out 10 year old Sam’s dream. Ultimately though this was something of an ill-fated endeavour - they had yet to reach the “acceptance” stage of grief, and really did seem to believe that anyone wanted to hear songs from a synth-pop album released 12 years past their prime. Sure, some concessions to the hits, but few and far between. I assumed that would be the end of my live Busted experience.
But then! Busted decide to rock up at Bristol Sounds as part of their now extended 20th anniversary tour. The setlist is written in stone and is pretty much wall to wall bangers. All the hits, the album tracks that I remember, a fair enough new song, and for some reason a cover of Hanson’s MMMBop. This is exactly what I wanted in 2017. I’m still happy for it today.
It’s - fair play to them - an absolute blast. I am amazed at how much I am able to instinctively dredge up from my long-term, cold storage memory - lyrics and melodies to songs I haven’t listened to in nigh on 18 years coming to the tip of my tongue just before they are needed. Some of these songs are unassailable; some of them even the band acknowledge are weird for them to be playing in their mid-40s.
It’s a mixed bag of what the band are bringing to proceedings. Matt is absolutely leading the proceedings, working the crowd, stage banter that borders but never teeters into self-indulgence. at least one more reference to Jordan Peterson than I would have expected. James is jetlagged but clearly having a whale of a time and joining in with Matt. Charlie Simpson absolutely is there for the paycheck and cannot sanction their buffoonery. Welcome to acceptance, Chaz.
Skinny Living and their frontman have the musical stylings of Jason Mraz and the speaking voice of Michael Smiley, which makes it feel oddly threatening when he exhorts before one song “listen to the words!”, as if I really do not want to find out what happens if I don’t.