Cruel World Festival showcases popular and established musical artists as well as reunited groups. The first edition on May 14 and 15, 2022, featured
Morrissey,
Bauhaus and
Blondie among more than 25 artists. A second edition of the festival took place on May 20, 2023, featuring
Siouxsie and
Iggy Pop as headliners with a run of 20 other artists including
Billy Idol,
the Human League,
Love and Rockets and
Echo & the Bunnymen. The 2023 edition was ended early in the night due to nearby lightning strikes. Siouxsie's headlining set that evening was rescheduled for the following day, with Iggy Pop and
Gary Numan also returning. The 2024 festival is scheduled for May 11 with
Duran Duran as the headliner.[1]
The inaugural edition featured more than 25 bands, with headlining sets by
Morrissey,
Bauhaus and
Blondie and appearances by
Devo,
the Psychedelic Furs,
the Church and others.[4] The festival was a way to "revive the '80s", with "some of the biggest names" from the 1980s
new wave and
gothic rock scenes.[5] As tickets sold out for the first day, a second day with the same line-up was added for Sunday, May 15.[6]Los Angeles Times wrote: "Cruel World time-travels back to that moment when synthesizers were supplanting guitars and rebel teens born into baby boomer hegemony were hungrily seeking new sounds, ideas and hairdos".[5]
In January 2023, the second edition of Cruel World Fest was announced for Saturday, May 20, 2023, to take place at the same location, with tickets going on sale on Friday, January 27.[7]Siouxsie and
Iggy Pop were announced as headliners, joined by
Billy Idol,
the Human League,
Love and Rockets,
Echo & the Bunnymen,
Gary Numan,
Gang of Four and many others.[7] It was Siouxsie's first United States performance in 15 years[7] and her only confirmed U.S. performance of the year.[8] It was also the first Love and Rockets set in 15 years (with Bauhaus having broken up between festivals) and
Daniel Ash stated that it would be the beginning of the final ever Love and Rockets tour.[7][9] Near the end of the night, during Pop's performance and before Siouxsie's scheduled set, the festival was ended abruptly by authorities, due to "extremely severe weather conditions" that included lightning strikes.[10] Early in the morning of May 21, the promoters of the festival announced on social media that Siouxsie and Pop would return later that day, "with Siouxsie performing an extended set."[11] Sunday also featured Numan returning for another performance, as well as a set from Club Doom Dave.[12]
Adam Ant and
the Motels cancelled and were replaced by Squeeze and Berlin, respectively.[15] Siouxsie and Pop, along with Numan, returned the following day for a second show.[12]