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Busted vs McFly’s Manchester arena shows – tickets, times, setlist and all you need to know
It's not often a band books both of the big venues on the same tour. (this article contains affiliate links).
Thomas Melia -
11th October 2025 
UK boybands Busted and McFly are going head-to-head for three whole nights of pop-rock bangers as they play out together at BOTH of the premier music arenas in Manchester.
It’s a real-life battle of the bands, as mainstream pop-punk boy bands Busted and McFly go up against each other to win over the crowds, not just AO Arena in Manchester, but at Co-op Live, too.
Known for smash singles like ‘Year 3000’ and ‘What I Go To School For’, pop-rock boyband Busted have amassed a cult following of fans since debuting in 2002.
Equally impressive noughties boyband McFly also have a fair few hits under their belt, dropping music since 2004 with the dreamy ‘Star Girl’ and serenade-twanged ‘All About You’.
The lineup of one of these UK bands may look a little different, as singer and guitarist James Bourne of Busted has had to pull out of this 2025 tour due to health issues, as revealed in a recent Instagram post.
Now, Matt and Charlie of Busted, as well as Danny, Dougie, Tom and Harry of McFly are laying all their cards on the table for a face-to-face music battle like no other.
Air guitars at the ready…
Busted vs McFly in Manchester – gig guide
Busted vs McFly UK tour dates
- Fri 10 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
- Sat 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
- Sun 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
- Tue 14 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
- Wed 15 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
- Fri 17 October – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
- Sat 18 October – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
- Mon 20 October – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
- Tue 21 October – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena
- Wed 22 October – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena
- Sun 26 October – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
- Tue 28 October – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
- Thu 30 October – London, UK – The O2
- Fri 31 October – London, UK – The O2
- Sat 1 November – London, UK – The O2
- Mon 3 November – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
- Wed 5 November – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
- Thu 6 November – Sheffield, UK – Utilita Arena
- Sat 8 November – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Are there tickets left for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?
If you want a dose of this boyband rivalry, there are two shows for you to choose from, and luckily for you, there are a handful of tickets left for both dates at the AO and the Co-op.
Anyone looking to ‘Shine a Light’ on day one of the Busted vs McFly tour can catch them live in action on Friday 17 October HERE.
Fancy reliving the early 2000s alongside two of the biggest British bands from that very decade? You’re ‘Not Alone’ and you can do so on Saturday, 18 October HERE.
Busted vs McFly setlist 2025
McFly tracks
- Where Did All the Guitars Go? (McFly)
- Star Girl (McFly)
- That Girl (McFly)
- One for the Radio (McFly)
- I’ll Be Ok (Mcly)
- Obviously (McFly)
- Room on the 3rd Floor (McFly)
- All About You (McFly)
- Twist and Shout (McFly cover)
- Transylvania / Lies (McFly)
- Red (McFly)
- The Heart Never Lies (McFly)
Busted songs
- Crashed the Wedding (Busted)
- You Said No (Busted)
- Meet You There (Busted)
- Dawson’s Geek / Britney / Nerdy / Why (Busted)
- Loser Kid (Busted)
- Who’s David (Busted)
- Sleeping With the Light On (Busted)
- Everything I Knew (Busted)
- Thunderbirds Are Go (Busted)
- What I Go to School For (Busted)
Back and forth…
- Hate Your Guts (McBusted)
- 3am (Busted)
- Not Alone (McFly)
- Air Hostess (Busted)
- 5 Colours in Her Hair (McFly)
- What Happened to Your Band (McBusted)
- Shine a Light (McFly)
- Year 3000 (Busted)
What are the stage times for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?
Both AO Arena and Co-op Live have curfews of 11pm, meaning you can time-travel to the ‘Year 3000’ and not have to worry about getting home during the early hours.
There is no confirmed support act as of yet; however, it looks like this will remain as they have fronted this tour independently across the UK.
Doors for this event are opening from 6pm, and both bands are expected to take the stage from around 7:30pm onwards before combining into a supergroup in time for close.
Getting to AO Arena
@the.manc When are you next heading to the @AO Arena? 😱 #themanc #manchester #aoarena #preshow #entertainment #gigs #music #liveshow ♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show
Tram
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena and Victoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
Getting there by car and parking
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Car and parking info
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
- Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
- Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
- Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
- Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
- Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
- Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Once again, the Beryl app is available for those looking to bike over to the venue; there are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Read more:
- Manc music legends James announce MASSIVE hometown show
- Ocean Colour Scene announce big Manchester show on special anniversary tour
- The Streets have just announced a massive outdoor gig in Manchester
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Featured Images — Press Shots (via Supplied)
