Teenage Cancer Trust has been fundraising at the iconic Royal Albert Hall since 2000, raising over £36 million to help create vital spaces for teenagers with cancer. The Who frontman Sir Roger Daltrey, who founded the concerts, passed the baton to The Cure’s Robert Smith for 2026. As ‘Cureator’, Smith put together a legendary week of shows ranging from Wolf Alice to Mogwai. Saturday delivered a 90s revival, with a stripped back performance from Placebo, followed by the grunge giants, Garbage.
I hadn’t been inside the Royal Albert Hall since I took part in the Barnardo’s Young Supporters Concert in 2006. The grandeur of the venue still impresses. From the awe-inspiring organs to the mushroom shaped acoustic diffusers, a sense of luxury and history fills the space. There’s not a bad seat in the house. I sat in row S, seat 70, and had a perfect view of the stage without feeling detached, unlike in other larger UK venues. (The O2 springs to mind).
Seeing Placebo live for the first time meant a lot to me. I’ve loved their music for many years and regret passing up a ticket to see them before. Watching Brian Molko felt surreal. As soon as they played the opening notes of their second song, Special Needs, I bawled my eyes out. Never have I been so star struck. Molko’s live vocals sounded straight from the studio. The acoustic performance echoed their 2015 MTV Unplugged session and even mirrored parts of the setlist. Despite mentioning they haven’t performed live for two years, their stage presence and sound remained as intense as in the late 90s, with lyrics that still feel angsty yet touching. This performance kicked off their year of touring to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their self-titled debut album. I’ll be mentally preparing myself until I see them again in December.
The only let down was the lack of merchandise. The charity and Garbage offered their own t-shirts, I’d planned to buy items from both bands. Unfortunately, Placebo only offered a £180 poster. Thankfully, the memories will stay with me.
Set List
- Jackie – Sinéad O’Connor cover
- Special Needs
- Begin the End
- Pure Morning
- Taste in Men
- Blind
- Follow the Cops Back Home
- Beautiful James
- Slave to the Wage
- Special K
- Meds
- Centrefolds
Garbage exploded onto the stage. Shirley Manson charged around like a caged animal and even moved into the crowd, sitting in the audience’s laps as she belted songs spanning their 30-year discography. Their usual line up of drummer Butch Vig, Steve Marker, and Duke Erikson on guitars was joined by Nicole Fiorentino on bass. Fiorentino, formerly of Smashing Pumpkins, has been touring with Garbage, playing and singing harmonies alongside Manson.
Unfortunately, the sound quality didn’t match Placebo’s set. It sounded muddy, especially Manson’s microphone, which made it difficult to understand her diction, even during popular tracks such as Cherry Lips. However, the lighting impressed throughout, casting strong shadows over the musicians and sweeping across the audience in technicolour.
Despite recovering from laryngitis, Manson’s vocals remained strong throughout the set, which lasted well over an hour. The band paid homage to The Cure and Robert Smith with a heartfelt cover of Lovesong, which Manson described as a bucket list moment. Garbage also highlighted current humanitarian issues. Manson spoke about the recent ban on transgender girls participating in the Girl Guides, describing it as “cruel and nonsensical”. She also showed support for those who had taken to the streets to protest against the far right in London that same day.
Set List
- There’s No Future in Optimism
- Hold
- Fix Me Now
- I Think I’m Paranoid
- Vow
- Run Baby Run
- The Trick Is to Keep Breathing
- Not My Idea
- The Men Who Rule the World
- Wolves
- Lovesong – The Cure cover
- Chinese Fire Horse
- Cherry Lips
- When I Grow Up
- Push It
- The Day That I Met God
Encore
- Stupid Girl
- Only Happy When It Rains
Overall, the evening was a huge success for a more than worthy cause. It was a shame the sound didn’t remain consistent, especially in a venue with such a strong musical history as the Royal Albert Hall. Perhaps Garbage is simply too loud to contain. It’s incredibly humbling to watch bands that have lasted so long, especially as it feels like we’re losing great musicians every week.
