Cruel World Festival: Siouxsie, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol headline

Siouxsie, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, Love and the Rockets and Echo and the Bunnymen are among the 1980s new wave notables to play the 2023 Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, California. The one-day festival of Goldenvoices returns to Brookside on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. , 20 May.

Also appearing are acts including ABC, Adam Ant, The Human League, Gang of Four, Gary Numan, Modern English, The Motels and The Vapers.

The festival marks Siouxsie’s first North American performance in 15 years. The goth pioneer’s last album was “Mantre” in 2007. Siouxsie Sioux performed with The Banshees and The Creatures before going solo, and she now goes by simply Siouxsie. Cruel World listeners will no doubt be hoping for a duet between Siouxsie and Iggy Pop on his hit “The Passenger,” which he memorably covered in a goth-tinged version.

Love and the Rockets, made up of former Bauhaus members, last performed together in 2008, then split in 2009. However, co-founder Daniel Ash then stated that there were no further plans to play with band member David Jay. Kevin Haskins, he’s obviously changed his mind. The band recently created a new Instagram account to promote their reunion.

Cruel World offers VIP and Clubhouse options, including access to air-conditioned lounges and access to an upfront viewing area on both levels. Passes will go on sale from Friday.

The festival comes exactly one week after Goldenvoice’s Just Like Heaven festival at the same venue, which will feature Yeh Yeh Yeh and MGMT.

Below is the full lineup of Cruel World in alphabetical order:

ABC

inflexible

animation

Aurat

Billy Idol
Son Hersher

Echo & The Bunnymen

Ella Minus
A group of four

Gary Numan

Glass spells

GVLLOW
human league

Iggy Pop
Love and rockets

Modern English

Molchat Doma

ricky
Siouxsie
the motel
soft moon

steam
Twin tribes

Urban heat