The Cure played their first of two shows Friday night at London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall as part of the annual Teenage Cancer Trust concert series, treating fans to a marathon 45-song set that featured some true surprises, including the live debut of Disintegration-era B-side “2 Late.”

Taking a page from Depeche Mode’s Alan Wilder, guitarist Porl Thompson this month will auction off dozens of personal items spanning his tenure(s) in The Cure, including a guitar played on ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’ and ‘Wish,’ album artwork proofs and clothing ranging from a ‘black net catsuit’ to leather corsets.

The Cure headlined the U.K.’s Bestival tonight, delivering a 32-song set filled with hits and a few lesser-aired tracks — including the first performance of ‘The Caterpillar’ in 20 years — with a lineup that included the return of keyboardist Roger O’Donnell, who says he’s back in the band for the third time.

Although he’s become an in-demand guest vocalist, Robert Smith says in a new interview that he’s refocusing on The Cure and vows he won’t do another collaboration until he completes the long-promised second half of 2008′s ‘4.13 Dream’ — the so-called ‘Dark Album’ that he once suggested could land in spring 2009.

Further evidence that Robert Smith may be revving up for an active 2011: The son of bassist Simon Gallup posted on Facebook that he was in the studio with The Cure last week, news that lit up fan sites and forums over the weekend.