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The Who performed the first of their two shows at the 2025 edition of the Teenage Cancer Trust concert series, and broke out their first performance of ‘Love Ain’t For Keepin” in over two decades. Check out footage below.
This year’s edition of the charity gigs kicked off earlier this week and saw the series return to the usual site of Royal Albert Hall. Launching on Monday (March 24), the event opened with an energetic performance from Sex Pistols and Frank Carter, and has so far been followed up with a night of comedy starring Micky Flanagan, Romesh Ranganathan, Katherine Ryan, as well as a set from James Arthur.
The latest show was held last night (27) and saw the charity’s Honorary Patron Roger Daltrey take to the stage with his iconic band The Who. The classic rock legends usually perform each year at the event, and the 2025 instalment will see them perform twice – also closing out the event on Sunday night (30).
As well as breaking out classic tracks like ‘Pinball Wizard’, ‘The Seeker’, ‘My Generation’ and ‘Behind Blue Eyes’, the band also introduced the song ‘Love Ain’t For Keepin” to the setlist.
This marked the first live rendition of the track – which featured in their hit 1971 album ‘Who’s Next’ – since 2004.
Another highlight of the show came as the band dedicated their song ‘I Can See For Miles’ to one of the people Daltrey met who is being helped by the Teenage Cancer Trust charity. Speaking to the audience, the frontman recalled his time meeting an inspiring 19-year-old woman at the ward, who had been diagnosed late with stage 4 Ewing sarcoma.
“To meet that woman, and the energy in her, knowing what she had, knowing she was having chemo over Christmas – what a wonderful way to spend it – but she was fantastic,” he said.
“She didn’t feel sorry for herself, she was determined that this charity has got to exist and the GPs that see teenagers all the time have got to recognise that early diagnosis in that age group is everything to them. It’s nothing to do with money – just do your job and recognise it.”
The Who closed off their set with back-to-back renditions of ‘Baba O’Riley’, ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ and ‘Tea & Theatre’. At one moment in the show, guitarist Pete Townshend said: “Great to be back at the Royal Albert Hall doing this Teenage Cancer Trust thing again. We couldn’t do this without you. We could try but it wouldn’t raise much money. As Roger was saying, it’s a really tough time for charities so it’s really great that you have come out.”
In the crowd was Sam Fender, along with members of fellow headliners The Corrs, Queen’s Roger Taylor, and Paul Weller. The latter performed a solo set at the event last year.
Find footage and the full setlist from the show below. In the first video, ‘Love Ain’t For Keepin’ comes in around the 36minute mark.
The Who’s setlist at the Teenager Cancer Trust series was:
‘I Can’t Explain’
‘Substitute’
‘Who Are You’
‘The Kids Are Alright’
‘I Can See for Miles’
‘Bargain’
‘Pinball Wizard’
‘Love Ain’t for Keepin” (first performance since 2004)
‘The Seeker’
‘Behind Blue Eyes’
‘The Real Me’
‘5:15’
‘I’m One’
‘Love, Reign O’er Me’
‘My Generation’
‘Cry If You Want’
‘See Me, Feel Me’
‘Eminence Front’
‘You Better You Bet’
‘Baba O’Riley’
‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’
‘Tea & Theatre’
Tonight (Friday March 28), The Corrs are set to take to the stage, and Saturday will see a line-up curated by the founder of the East London label, Robert Raths (aka Ghostworker). That will include appearances from Penguin Cafe, Daniel Brandt, Douglas Dare and Hatis Noit – check out what he had to say about each artist here.
NME was in attendance for Monday’s show, and recalled how Frank Carter and co delivered an explosive performance that included renditions of ‘Bodies’, ‘Liar’, ‘God Save The Queen’ and a cover of Iggy And The Stooges’ classic ‘No Fun’.
It was also recently announced that next year’s TCT gig series will be curated by The Cure’s Robert Smith. The decision was made following the series founder Roger Daltrey stepping back.
The musician confirmed that he would be ending his time as the curator for the Teenager Cancer Trust concert last year, after running the series for 24 years. He will remain as the charity’s patron.
