Garbage performed a live debut cover of The Cure’s 1989 single “Lovesong” during their headlining set at the Teenage Cancer Trust concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Saturday, March 28.

Before launching into the song, frontwoman Shirley Manson told the crowd: “Alright, we’re gonna play you a song we’ve never played live before. We thought we’d give our tribute to The Cure tonight — who we’re obsessed with. Without Robert Smith we would not be here tonight, for a million reasons.”

Manson said the band had “whipped it up” as a tribute to The Cure and Robert Smith, who personally invited Garbage to play. She admitted she hoped to get through the song without crying and called it “a bucket list moment” singing “in this insanely beautiful building” a song written by the band that inspired them to form.

Smith took over curation duties for the 2026 series from longtime organizer Roger Daltrey, who led the annual benefit run for over two decades. Placebo also shared the bill with a stripped-back opening set.

Full show coverage via NME.

Previously on mxdwn: Shirley Manson Breaks Down Garbage’s Touring Economics | Garbage Announces Their Fall Tour Will Be Their Last North American Tour | Garbage Announce New Album | Garbage Releases Cover of Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Cities in Dust”