After their recent return to the British music scene, noughties pop band, Busted, took to the Rock City stage last Monday as part of their ‘Night Driver Tour’. Madeleine was lucky enough to get her hands on a pair of tickets…
Safe in the knowledge that the band themselves weren’t on until 9pm, and not particularly interested in seeing the support act, my friend and I left at 8pm, which we felt was ample time to get the bus from Lenton into Nottingham. However, we severely misjudged the passion of Nottingham’s Busted fans, as when we arrived (at about 8.15pm) the venue was almost packed to capacity. We had noted earlier via Rock City’s twitter (https://twitter.com/Rock_City_Notts/status/833700704875331589) that people were queuing since 3:30pm, but mistakenly assumed that this was only the minority of people.
We benefited greatly from the small venue size, as we still had a good view of the stage, despite being probably as far away as you could have been, so we were only minimally affected by being late. This also meant that we were in a less busy part of the crowd than those closer to the stage, so we didn’t have to fight for space or get too hot and sweaty whilst dancing, which was a positive.
When Busted themselves came on, the atmosphere was fantastic. The crowd was very obviously largely filled with noughties babies, who had been waiting over a decade to see the iconic band live. I believe this was quite distinct, as it was noticeable that people were getting a lot more excited when the older classics, such as ‘That’s What I Go to School For’ and ‘Year 3000’, were played when compared to the newer songs from the new ‘Night Driver’ album. However, I don’t think it particularly affected anyone’s enjoyment because the audience, ourselves included, were just happy to see the band that we had grown up listening to perform live. I happily give this show 4 stars and would recommend going to see them if you have the opportunity, my only vice being that I would have preferred more older songs!
Georgina, however, although disappointed she couldn’t get her hands on a ticket, was thrilled when Rock City saved the day by combining the gig with its ever-popular Crisis event. After the concert, Matt Willis, the band’s bass guitarist and singer, took to the decks to present an hour-long DJ set of his favourite tunes. Here’s what she thought…
I was very eager not to miss a second Busted-related opportunity and this time get what felt like a behind-the-scenes insight into what music they themselves listen to. I was admittedly a little apprehensive of the concept, taking the Busted association with a pinch of salt, knowing only a third of the band would make an appearance but I wasn’t disappointed.
I managed to persuade my friend, Natalie, to join me. She was a great accomplice testing the music selection because, although we both appreciate mainstream pop, we also each have a soft spot for different rockier sides of the music industry. The fact that we both enjoyed the event indicates the consideration that went into Matt’s set list, balancing the lesser known songs with those that everybody sings along to. It was also a refreshing contrast to the sometimes-cheesy tunes of a typical Crisis. The music was simultaneously nostalgic and well-crafted with some of the artists including: The Killers, Bring Me the Horizon, McFly, Blink182 and Green Day.
My only complaint was audience size, or the lack of. I was disappointed that the venue didn’t reach the usual capacity of Crisis Wednesdays. Fortunately, those that did attend were all passionate about the music, which somewhat made up for this. As for why fewer people turned up, I’m not entirely sure. Very few of my friends wanted to go, although this was because they’re stuck in the PRYZM’s Lemonade Mondays ritual. More generally, there seemed to be a lacking awareness of the event, despite the many flyers littered across the Portland Building. I also think people underestimate Matt’s experience as a DJ. I think being a long-term fan and understanding Busted’s musical inspiration helped me because I was able to trust in Matt’s tastes.
Busted Crisis was a fantastic event with something for everybody. Even if you weren’t an avid Busted fan, the rest of the music featured the typical Wednesday night tracks. My only real issues would be the small crowd and that some of the best Crisis tunes were rushed into at the beginning because the event didn’t open until 11pm, leaving little time to build an atmosphere. Definitely keep your eyes peeled for other Crisis specials in the future! For me, Rock City’s Busted Crisis certainly earned 4 stars.
Check out the Rock City website for future events here: http://rock-city.co.uk
Edited by: Jessica Greaney
Sources:
https://twitter.com/Busted/status/833669977370685440/photo/1