Previously unseen The Who gig among Teenage Cancer Trust concert streams in October

(Image credit: Rick Guest)

The Teenage Cancer Trust will stream never-before-seen footage of iconic London gigs by The Who, The Cure, Them Crooked Vultures, Muse and more as part of an emergency fundraising appeal.

The Unseen performances, taped at London’s Royal Albert Hall over the past 20 years, will be broadcast throughout October on the TCT’s YouTube channel.  This content will be free to watch, but artists and the charity are urging fans to donate what they can to fill the gap in fundraising that provides a lifeline for teenagers with cancer.

There were no Teenage Cancer Trust gigs in 2020; the charity’s week of sold out shows, in what would have been the 20th anniversary year of the legendary series, were due to start on the first day of lockdown. The shows were set to raise more than £1 million for the charity, income which has now been lost. It is hoped that the streaming of these previously unseen shows will help raise awareness and funds for the charity, and go some way to compensating for the shortfall caused by the pandemic.

“So here we are, six months into one of the strangest times in living memory,” says The Who’s vocalist Roger Daltrey. “Where everyone has had some sense of what isolation, even for short periods, can do to the state of our mental health. Without the environment and services that Teenage Cancer Trust provide within our NHS, specifically for this age group, isolation throughout their lengthy treatments becomes a strong possibility. Through Teenage Cancer Trust, the UK has led the world in recognising the specific issues that this age group with cancer suffer, please donate generously to make sure this vital work continues through these difficult times.”

Teenage Cancer Trust Unseen schedule

Oct 8 Ed Sheeran
Oct 9 Muse
Oct 10 Rudimental
Oct 11 Paul McCartney
Oct 12 Paul Weller
Oct 13 Stereophonics
Oct 14 Pulp
Oct 15 Noel Gallagher
Oct 16 Them Crooked Vultures
Oct 17 The Who
Oct 18 The Cure
Oct 31 The Cure – full live stream

The TCT is also organising a raffle to raise funds, with a signed guitar from The Cure’s Robert Smith among the prizes. More information is available from the charity’s website.

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