News & Features 19 Mar, 2025

2026 guest curator announced for Teenage Cancer Trust + New Sat 29th headliner Erased Tapes

 2026 guest curator announced for Teenage Cancer Trust + New Sat 29th headliner Erased Tapes

Teenage Cancer Trust is pleased to announce a special bill for Saturday 29th March 2025 at the Royal Albert Hall, curated by Erased Tapes and featuring Penguin Cafe, Daniel Brandt, Douglas Dare and Hatis Noit.

The charity is also delighted to reveal that The Cure’s Robert Smith will curate Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall in 2026.   

This year’s series runs from March 24-30, with other headliners including The Who; The Corrs; James Arthur; a night of comedy hosted by Micky Flanagan; and Frank Carter and Paul Cook, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols.

Jamie Johnson, Head of Music & Entertainment at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Erased Tapes to the Saturday slot at the Royal Albert Hall. Their unique sound and artistry will create an unforgettable experience that music fans won’t want to miss.

“We are also deeply honoured that Robert Smith, one of the most influential artists of our time, has agreed to curate the Teenage Cancer Trust’s 2026 concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.

“Robert has been a dedicated supporter of Teenage Cancer Trust for many years, and his involvement will bring extraordinary performances to this iconic week while helping us raise essential funds. These funds ensure we can continue to provide vital specialist services for young people facing cancer within the NHS.

“You only get one chance at being young, and cancer threatens to turn lives upside down. Without the right support, the impact can be devastating. We cannot thank Robert enough for helping us make sure that no young person faces cancer alone.”

 

Erased Tapes

After selling out the Royal Albert Hall at the Proms 2015, ten years on Erased Tapes returns with an all-star lineup in support of Teenage Cancer Trust. Tickets are on sale now HERE

Headlined by legendary ensemble Penguin Cafe, the line-up also features English contemporary songsmith Douglas Dare, London-based German composer, drummer and filmmaker Daniel Brandt with an exclusive preview of his brand new multimedia spectacle Without Us, which will premiere in full at the Barbican Hall next month, and the exceptional Japanese voice artist Hatis Noit who "has been moving audiences to tears” (The Guardian).

Erased Tapes is a truly independent record label that has disrupted the industry and rejuvenated the musical landscape since 2007. The London-based label has consistently nurtured genre-defying artists from all around the world without losing its avant-garde ethos.

In 2015, BBC 6 Music radio presenter Mary Anne Hobbs staged an Erased Tapes evening featuring Nils Frahm and A Winged Victory For The Sullen at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the prestigious BBC Prom. It was the fastest selling ticket of the entire season.

Robert Raths, founder of Erased Tapes, said: “It's not every day that you get asked to take over a space like the Royal Albert Hall. To return within a decade feels more than an honour, especially for such a great cause.”

Roger Daltrey said: "Due to unforeseen circumstances the planned Teenage Cancer Trust event on the Sat 29th had to be postponed. So I can't thank Penguin Cafe enough for stepping up for the charity at such short notice. Erased Tapes will be curating the rest of the line up for the evening so this is going to be a very special night of independent music at the Royal Albert Hall. Don't miss it!"

 

Robert Smith
One of the most celebrated artists in modern music, Robert Smith has long been a supporter of Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall, with The Cure performing two classic shows in 2014, as well as in 2006. Robert was very active in his support of the Teenage Cancer Trust UNSEEN campaign during lockdown, helping the charity to continue to raise significant income during those tough times.

After being asked by the concerts’ founder, Roger Daltrey, Robert will personally oversee a world-class bill from 23-29 March 2026.

The news follows The Cure’s return to the top of the charts in 2024 with the critically lauded Songs Of A Lost World. In a career spanning more than 45 years, the band have produced some of the most influential albums in modern music, including Seventeen Seconds, Pornography, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, Disintegration and Wish, and classic pop songs such as ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, ‘A Forest’, ‘Just Like Heaven’, ‘Lullaby’ and ‘Friday I’m In Love’.

Robert Smith said: “Teenage Cancer Trust does the most fantastic work, and it is a great honour - and a real thrill - to be asked to curate the 2026 shows at the Royal Albert Hall. I can promise it will be a very memorable week!”

 

The concerts were founded in 2000 by The Who’s Roger Daltrey. Throughout that time, Daltrey put together lineups of internationally renowned artists. While he stepped back from figurehead duties in 2024, Daltrey remains a proud Honorary Patron of the charity.