Garbage cover The Cure at London gig for the Teenage Cancer Trust

Garbage covered Lovesong by The Cure at their Teenage Cancer Trust gig at the Royal Albert Hall to honour Robert Smith, who has curated a week of shows at the historic venue.

Singer Shirley Manson said they had never played the 1989 single before but had “whipped it up” in “tribute to The Cure and the great Robert Smith, who asked us to play tonight”.

She admitted she hoped to get through the song without crying, and said afterwards “that feels like a bucket list moment” singing “in this insanely beautiful building” a song written by the people who had inspired them to start a band.

Manic Street Preachers covered The Cure’s 1985 single Close To Me when they headlined the same venue on Thursday, also dedicating the song to The Cure lead singer Smith, who has taken over curation duties for the series from The Who frontman Roger Daltrey for 2026.

Manson, dressed appropriately all in black, delivered a high energy performance, leaving the stage several times to climb the stairs on both sides, at one point sitting next to an audience member and serenading them.

She discussed the Together Alliance march against the far right that took place in the capital on Saturday, getting cheers when she asked if anyone in the audience attended.

Garbage were especially keen to play the show “on a day when the people of London came out on the streets to fight fascism” she said, adding: “We have an incredible country, we must fight to protect it.”

Before playing The Men Who Rule The World from the 2021 No Gods No Masters album, Manson said it seemed to predict the No Kings protests that have taken place against the Trump administration in the US in recent years, including on Saturday.

And she referenced this week’s news that Girlguiding members who identify as transgender girls will have to leave by September, saying “there’s probably about three in the country” before attacking gender stereotypes and playing 2001 single Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!).

Manson also addressed personal issues, emotionally addressing the recent death of her father, who used to attend all her London shows dating back to her 1980s Scottish band Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, saying the last few years had been “challenging in a billion ways”.

Garbage’s line-up has remained unchanged since forming in 1993, with American musicians Duke Erikson, Steve Marker and drummer and former Nirvana producer Butch Vig, now joined by touring bassist and backing vocalist Nicole Fiorentino.

Towards the end of the show Manson said she was losing her voice, and was drinking “a little whiskey” to help, at which point Vig asked if he could have some, and Manson’s husband, record producer Billy Bush, brought him some in a plastic cup.

By this time everyone was on their feet, and Manson asked her fans to help her voice by singing along to the encores, Stupid Girl and Only Happy When It Rains, saying “tonight feels like magic and it’s the kind of world I want to live in”.

Manson also praised openers Placebo, saying they had known them since the 1990s, and they could easily have headlined the show.

The band played a rapturously received stripped back set, their first show in two years, with singer and guitarist Brian Molko thanking their fans for supporting the work of the Teenage Cancer Trust, and asking them to give the charity a round of applause.

Placebo opened with a cover of Sinead O’Connor’s Jackie, with six people on stage including a violinist, but they played a minimalist version of 1998 hit single Pure Morning, along with fan favourites Special K and Meds.

This week has seen headline shows from Elbow on Monday, a comedy night on Tuesday and then Mogwai, Manic Street Preachers and My Bloody Valentine from Wednesday to Friday.

The gig series ends on Sunday with Brit Award-winning indie band Wolf Alice, supported by London singer-songwriter Nilufer Yanya.