Manic Street Preachers put in a fittingly barnstorming performance for the 150th show in the legendary Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall series – at the invitation of guest curator Robert Smith.
From March 23-29, other headliners selected by The Cure legend include elbow, Mogwai, my bloody valentine, Garbage and Wolf Alice, as well as a night of Robert Smith’s Comedy Favourites.
Manic Street Preachers stormed the stage with a blazing ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ for an ecstatic crowd. The set featured songs from throughout their career, from fan favourites such as ‘Roses In The Hospital’ to major hits like ‘You Stole The Sun From My Heart’.
A cover of The Cure’s ‘Close To Me’ was embraced by a crowd packed with Robert Smith’s fans. A singalong of ‘La Tristesse Durera’ followed. A melancholic treat came in the form of ‘This Is Yesterday’ from The Holy Bible.
Another surprise treat was an excerpt of Echo and the Bunnymen’s ‘Bring On the Dancing Horses’ before Lana McDonagh joined the band for ‘Hiding in Plain Sight’ from last year’s Critical Thinking.
A soaring ‘Design For Life’ was dedicated to producer Mike Hedges, who was in the audience. Other highlights included the shining pop of ‘Your Love Alone Is Not Enough’ and a sublime cover of The The’s ‘This Is The Day’.
‘My Little Empire’ and ‘You Love Us’, dedicated to Richey Edwards followed, before a finale of the number one single ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’.
The set was live streamed via Player Plus and can still be watched for 24 hours afterwards, with all profits going to Teenage Cancer Trust. Garbage’s headline set this Saturday can also be purchased via www.WatchTeenageCancerTrust.com
Teenage Cancer Trust Interim Chief Executive Jules Worrall celebrated the 150-show landmark, saying: “The impact of these shows has been enormous. Because of everyone who has been involved – from the artists who give their time to free to the gig-goers who buy a ticket and everyone in-between – we have been able to change the lives of young people with cancer for the better. The incredible £36 million raised has allowed us to provide specialist nursing care, expert youth support and age-appropriate environments to thousands of young people with cancer – and to work to change the system that isn’t designed with their needs in mind.
“I’m sure there are people who would have loved to have been at this show tonight, but who instead are dealing with the devastating impact of a cancer diagnosis at a critical time in their lives. Yet cancer care wasn’t made for young people. Their experience is very different to that of children and older adults, and too often they fall through the cracks when it comes to everything from diagnosis and mental health support to access to clinical trials. But we’re here to make sure every young person has the treatment, care and support they need.
“We can’t do it alone, and that’s why this 150th show is such a milestone. A huge thank you to everyone who has been a part of it, and especially to our legendary Honorary Patron Sir Roger Daltrey, and to this year’s ‘Cureator’, Robert Smith. Here’s to 150 more!”
The evening was compered by Radio X DJ John Kennedy, who said: “I was absolutely honoured to be asked by Robert Smith to compete tonight’s Manic Street Preachers show. He’s an all time hero of mine. I’ve been lucky enough to interview him a few times, and so it was amazing to be asked – and for such an incredible lineup, not only national treasures the Manic Street Preachers, an all time favourite band, but fellow Welsh wonders The Joy Formidable. It is an incredible lineup.”
The Joy Formidable opened the celebration of Welsh rock with hits including ‘Whirring’ and ‘The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade’.
Singer Ritzy said: “Thank you for having us. What a special space, sweet audience, big, beautiful acoustics. Forever grateful to Robert for the invite and for everyone at the Teenage Cancer Trust for a magical night.”
Celebrated accordionist Nihad Hrustanbegovic is playing at the venue each night as audiences arrive.
Cancer kills more teenagers and young adults in the UK than any other disease, yet cancer care wasn’t made for young people. Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to providing specialised nursing care and support for young people with cancer, funding specialist nurses, youth workers and 28 hospital units within the NHS.
Its Royal Albert Hall fundraising concert series was launched and curated by Teenage Cancer Trust Honorary Patron Sir Roger Daltrey, who was knighted for services to charity and music earlier this year, from 2000 to 2025.
This year’s curator Robert Smith is the first in a series of guest curators who will take on the mantle of raising money for this vital cause in future.
Robert Smith said: “I was 17 when I started the band that turned into The Cure. There was so much I wanted to do. It is hard to imagine the impact it would have had on my life if at that age had heard the words you have cancer. The money you help raise tonight will mean that Teenage Cancer Trust can be there for young people right from that first devastating moment of diagnosis, through every step of their treatment and beyond, to help them recover and hopefully live life to the full.”
He said that as well as raising vital funds, the gigs are a celebration of what it means to be young – “and of young people’s determination not to let cancer take that away from them”.
He said: “I wanted to make this a truly unforgettable week, and am enormously grateful to all the artists who accepted my invitation to perform. Each of them is either legendary or at the top of their game – indeed, in most cases, they are both! I am sure it is going to be a fabulous week.”
This year Teenage Cancer Trust has launched ‘Good Energy’, an art exhibition and print series at the Royal Albert Hall, running from March 18th to April 9th. The collection captures the visceral, shared experience of live music between artist and fan, positioning the “mosh pit” not as a place of chaos, but as a sanctuary of safety and community. The exhibition features 21 limited-edition silk screen prints, chosen by iconic acts including The 1975, Geese, Fontaines DC, Wolf Alice, Yungblud, Nick Cave, Nia Archives, Keane, Sex Pistols feat Frank Carter, The Big Moon, The Snuts, Courteeners, Bring Me The Horizon, Enter Shikari, Elbow and more. Buy online HERE.
James Ainscough OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have hosted Teenage Cancer Trust’s annual shows for a quarter of a century, supporting this vital and groundbreaking work that improves the lives of young people with cancer every day.”
Jules Worrall, Interim Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “The Royal Albert Hall gigs are pivotal in helping Teenage Cancer Trust change the lives of young people with cancer.
“For more than 20 years, our Honorary Patron Sir Roger Daltrey curated star-studded lineups year after year. For 2026, that baton has passed to Robert Smith, and wow, what a job he has done.
“Once again, some of the biggest names from across the music and entertainment industry will be making us sing, dance and laugh – but more importantly they will be raising essential funds and shining the brightest spotlight on the needs of young people with cancer. We are so grateful for Robert’s support, to every artist performing and everyone who buys a ticket.
“Here’s to an astonishing week of legendary gigs, and getting young people with cancer the specialised care and support they need.”
Rob Ballantine, Director of S.J.M Concerts, said: “SJM concerts have for over two decades been privileged to pull together the week of fund raising shows for Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall.
“This year working with Cureator Robert Smith has been a real pleasure and we have seen first hand how hard and how diligently he has worked to bring together such a high calibre line up of artists. The respect he commands in the industry is obvious and we would like to add our name to that long list and thank him for such an amazing job. We know the fans will support these shows as they do every year and we hope to raise much needed funds for this amazing charity. Thank you to all the artists and their representatives who have made this happen, we look forward to an incredible week of shows at the Royal Albert Hall next March.”
Jane Ashton, Head of Music and Entertainment at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “Once again, the music and entertainment industry has come together for a fantastic cause. Money raised from the Royal Albert Hall shows changes lives by funding specialist care and support for young people with cancer. We can’t thank the legend that is Robert Smith enough for all the time and energy he has given to curating this epic line-up.
“The 2025 series raised a wonderful record-breaking £2.05 million, but we’d love to beat it! The urgent need to support young people when they hear the devastating words ‘its cancer’ remains. Thanks to the unwavering support of artists, managers, agents, promoters, crew, and our generous audiences, Teenage Cancer Trust can help them get through cancer, rebuild their life and shape their own future.”
Manic Street Preachers setlist
- Motorcycle Emptiness
- Futurology
- Roses in the Hospital
- You Stole the Sun From My Heart
- Decline & Fall
- Ocean Spray
- Close to Me
- La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)
- This Is Yesterday
- Hiding in Plain Sight
- The Secret He Had Missed
- A Design for Life
- This Sullen Welsh Heart
- Everything Must Go
- The Everlasting
- Condemned to Rock ‘n’ Roll
- Your Love Alone Is Not Enough
- This is the Day
- From Despair to Where
- My Little Empire
- You Love Us
- If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
The Joy Formidable setlist
- The Greatest Light is the Greatest Shade
- Cradle
- Sevier
- Whirring
- Buoy
- Wolf’s Law
- The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie
Player Plus
Watch the Garbage headline set, live on Player Plus, and catch up with the Manic Street Preachers set for the next 24 hours
URL: www.WatchTeenageCancerTrust.com
Platform: Player Plus (stage.playerplus.com)
Player Plus is a premium TV streaming platform bringing live events straight to audiences around the world, working with world-renowned bands including Duran Duran, Jamie Cullum, KALEO, and many more. Delighted to support Teenage Cancer Trust as the platform of choice as they bring select shows from a week of programming to audiences at home around the world.
Pricing: £15.99 / USD $19.99. All profits go to Teenage Cancer Trust.
The shows are also proudly supported by:
Aldi
Aldi is the headline sponsor for this year’s Royal Albert Hall series. The supermarket giant has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust since 2017 and has raised over £12 million for the charity to date.
Domino’s:
Domino’s has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust for ten years, has raised £8 million for the charity, and is the official sponsor of the Ultimate Backstage Experience.
American Airlines
American Airlines has generously donated many millions of air miles to support our event series at the Royal Albert Hall.
Royal Albert Hall Show Dates:
Monday, March 23: Elbow and MRCY
Tuesday, March 24: Robert Smith’s Comedy Favourites – Maisie Adam, Bridget Christie, Jack Dee, Andy Hamilton, Dom Joly, Miles Jupp, Athena Kugblenu, Stewart Lee and Dara Ó Briain
Wednesday, March 25: Mogwai, Craven Faults and Annika Kilkenny
Thursday, March 26: Manic Street Preachers and The Joy Formidable
Friday, March 27: my bloody valentine and Chvrches (stripped back performance)
Saturday, March 28: Garbage and Placebo (rare, stripped back performance)
Sunday, March 29: Wolf Alice and Nilüfer Yanya
Tickets:
For line-up and ticketing information please visit:
