MOGWAI TAKE TO ROYAL ALBERT HALL FOR TEENAGE CANCER TRUST

On Wednesday evening, Mogwai played the legendary Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall in the presence of founder Sir Roger Daltrey and guest curator Robert Smith.

From March 23-29, the headliners selected by The Cure legend also include elbow, Manic Street Preachers, my bloody valentine, Garbage and Wolf Alice, as well as a night of Robert Smith’s Comedy Favourites. The headline set by the Manic Street Preachers on Thursday 26 March will be the 150th show.

Sir Roger Daltrey, The Who legend and founder of the concert series, made a surprise appearance on stage to introduce some of the young people helped by the charity. He also met Robert Smith backstage to hand him a trophy in recognition of his work guest-curating this year’s events.

Sir Roger said: “Robert’s done a fantastic job – absolutely fantastic – and he’s played concerts before for us in the past. Bands give up an awful lot to do this. When we started this 26 years ago, touring was just a small part of their income. That has changed. We’re so grateful.”

Robert Smith and Sir Roger Daltrey (credit: Andy Paradise)

Mogwai immediately captivated the room with ‘Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home’ before it burst into a roar, filling the Royal Albert Hall with distortion. Classics including ‘Friend of the Night,’ ‘Cody’ and ‘Helicon 1’ followed.

The keyboards of ‘I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead’ descended into a bass roar, the likes of which may never have been heard at the Royal Albert Hall.

“We want to dedicate this song to Robert (Smith) for inviting us to play. Thanks so much,” said Stuart Braithwaite before a bombastic ‘Killing All The Flies’.

Earlier in the evening the band met some of the young people supported by Teenage Cancer Trust. On stage, Stuart said: “I want to thank you all for coming down and helping us support this wonderful charity. We met some of the kids that are involved in this charity today. It was really special so we’ll dedicate this to them. Thank you all so much.”

‘Remurdered’ followed, its organ refrain blasting through the venue, before a mighty ‘Lion Rumpus’. An encore came in the form of ‘May Nothing But Happiness Come Through Your Door’ and an inevitable, epic ‘Mogwai Fear Satan’.

Craven Faults was second on the bill. Standing at a station of analogue synths, leads and sockets, he delivered a stunning three-song set: ‘Stoneyman’, ‘Long Stoop’ and ‘Hurrocstanes’.

The night was opened by Irish songwriter Annika Kilkenny, whose elegant tunes on acoustic guitar danced through the hall, from the opening ‘It’s shaped you’ to a closing singalong for ‘Winter on the west coast’.

You can still enjoy elbow’s performance on Monday was streamed via Player+ and is available for 24 hours, with the performance by Manic Street Preachers also set to be available for £15.99, with all profits going to the charity.

Fans can visit www.WatchTeenageCancerTrust.com now to book to watch the performances by these iconic bands.