Matt Willis tried to hype the crowd at Isle of Wight Festival on Saturday night — and instead found himself on the wrong end of a chorus of boos.
Midway through Busted’s high-octane set, the bassist took a moment between songs to ask the audience to step it up a notch. “We’ve played a few festivals this year,” he said, pausing for dramatic effect. “And they’ve been mediocre.”
Cue: instant, resounding booing from the packed Seaclose Park crowd.
Willis, grinning but clearly realising he might’ve misjudged the moment, quickly doubled down. “I’m just saying… Chester,” he offered, referencing a recent festival slot the band played in the northern city. It didn’t help. The booing turned playful but persistent, with the crowd making it very clear: this was not going to be a repeat of any so-called “mediocre” energy.
To his credit, Willis leaned into the chaos. “You lot sound louder already,” he said with a wink, before launching into the next song like nothing had happened.
And to be fair, the set was anything but mediocre. With hits like ‘Air Hostess’, ‘Crashed the Wedding’, and of course the now-iconic ‘Year 3000’ (still riding a wave of intergenerational love), Busted delivered a stadium-sized pop-punk set packed with energy, cheek, and a surprising amount of crowd surfing.
But the moment with Willis stood out — not just for the awkwardness, but because it underlined a strange sort of honesty that Busted have always had. They might have stadium hooks and slick production, but they’re still those three lads from the early 2000s who’ll tell you exactly what they think… even if it means getting roasted for it.
Luckily, the audience did sing along — probably louder than they would’ve if Willis hadn’t poked the bear. And by the time the last chorus rang out, it was clear: Isle of Wight was anything but mediocre. Chester, you’ve got competition.
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