To have Placebo as your special guest genuinely puts the ‘special’ into special guest. Placebo were clearly ecstatic to be at the Albert Hall and supporting Teenage Cancer Trust. Frontman Brian Molko smiled throughout and bowed out of genuine respect for the occasion. They opened with ‘Jackie’, a cover by the late Sinéad O’Connor.
Ironically, despite Placebo’s debut LP turning 30 this year, not a single song from the self-titled release featured. It didn’t matter. The set, although advertised as acoustic and stripped back, felt more like a reinterpretation of their back catalogue — and of the emotions and meanings within those songs. After all, neither the audience nor the band seemed interested in simply reliving teenage angst or outsider identities.
Much of the set drifted through dreamlike soundscapes, while some moments leaned into more psychedelic territory. ‘Pure Morning’, ‘Taste in Men’ and ‘Meds’ were the boldest and drew the biggest reactions from the crowd. ‘Beautiful James’ stood out, elevated by a melancholy violin. For a band who admitted they were “bricking it” after not playing live since 2024, Placebo delivered a flawless performance and proved themselves worthy ambassadors for Teenage Cancer Trust.
With the number of takes it took to record Garbage’s appeal for donations, there may have been some question marks over how prepared they were for the headline slot. Any doubts were quickly dismissed. Garbage opened with the high-energy title track from their latest album Let All That We Imagine Be the Light and immediately set the tone.
Material from their debut followed soon after, beginning with ‘Fix Me Now’. Whether through familiarity or a faint similarity to ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’, Garbage quickly created a stadium-like atmosphere inside the Albert Hall. That energy only grew with ‘I Think I’m Paranoid’ from their second album. Hearing Shirley Manson deliver the track without its original radio static added a rawness that only strengthened it. Considering Manson was performing through laryngitis, the crowd’s appreciation felt even more pronounced.
Garbage also showed they are far more than just heavy guitar-driven hits. The synth-led ‘The Trick Is to Keep Breathing’, written back in 1994, brought a different dynamic. Manson also praised Teenage Cancer Trust curator Robert Smith and covered The Cure’s ‘Lovesong’ as a mark of respect.
They also reminded the audience just how ahead of their time they were. ‘Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)’ tackled themes long before terms like “gender fluid” entered the mainstream.
Manson was visibly emotional throughout, yet remained composed, dignified and professional. She spoke about having a band of Placebo’s calibre opening for them, about still making music after more than three decades, and about the continued support of her long-time manager Paul Kremen. Her reflections on London carried the most weight, particularly following the loss of her father last year, who had attended many of her shows there both with Garbage and before.
Garbage closed with their biggest hits — ‘Push It’, ‘Stupid Girl’ — before finishing with ‘Only Happy When It Rains’. The final song built to a real crescendo, as both Manson and the crowd repeatedly sang “pour your misery down…”. It was a fitting ending. Not only did Garbage close in style, they reinforced the message at the heart of these shows: keep supporting Teenage Cancer Trust.
Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity providing specialised nursing care and expert youth support for young people aged 13–24 with cancer, as well as their loved ones. Please consider making a donation: https://donate.teenagecancertrust.org
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