Manic Street Preachers delivered a suitably explosive performance to mark the 150th show in the Teenage Cancer Trust’s Royal Albert Hall series, performing at the invitation of this year’s guest curator, Robert Smith.

Running from March 23 to 29, the line-up curated by The Cure frontman also includes Elbow, Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine, Garbage and Wolf Alice, alongside a night of Robert Smith’s Comedy Favourites.

The Manics opened with a formidable ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’, giving an melancholic yet anthemic sound, immediately lifting an already buzzing crowd. Their set spanned their entire career, moving from fan favourites like ‘Roses In The Hospital’ to big hits such as ‘You Stole The Sun From My Heart’.

Their cover of The Cure’s ‘Close To Me’ was warmly embraced by an audience packed with Robert Smith fans, before a singalong of ‘La Tristesse Durera’ filled the hall. A more reflective moment followed with ‘This Is Yesterday’ from The Holy Bible.

Another surprise came with 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 defiant classic Manics hit ‘A 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 streamed live via Player Plus and remains available to watch for 24 hours, 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

 The Royal Albert Hall series continues over the coming days, with more headline performances still to come.

Pricing: £15.99 / USD $19.99. All profits go to Teenage Cancer Trust.

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:

www.royalalberthall.com.

Author: Andrew Braithwaite

Andrew is the founder and chief editor of Music Talkers. He's also a keen music enthusiast and plays the guitar.