Cruel World 2024: A Legacy Forms in Year 3 at The Rose Bowl

Siouxsie Sioux at Cruel World 2023 by Albert Licano

It’s very rare for a music festival to have a storied legacy to live up to after just 2 years. But after a total lunar eclipse that turned the moon blood red before completely disappearing during Bauhuas for Cruel World 2022 and inclement weather and lightning that thwarted Siouxsie Sioux from performing on Saturday in 2023 and adding a 2nd day on Sunday, it felt like raising the bar could be quite dangerous. For a moment, it looked like the massive storms on our star might cause the Aurora Borealis to materialize for a SECOND night in Southern California for Cruel World 2024. Was there some type of deal with the devil to manifest this excitement, pleasure and existential angst? Maybe a collab with the folks at CERN to find the physics of the post punk genre through the mysteries of particle colliders? Alas, we could not view the Northern Lights here in the southland but the stars fell from the sky and landed on the 3 stages, Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena for yet another celestial Cruel World experience.

Fandom has always been weird, wonderful and a bit unhinged.. But the internet amplifies and magnifies the enthusiasm, indignation and fervor of fandom. Based on the year round activity in Cruel World Facebook groups, the demographic for this festival is a broad spectrum of aging 80’s preppies excited about revisiting the Pop Music era of their time- both the one hit wonders and bands with 40 year careers, along with their kids, both bonding with their parents and participating in the post punk, 80’s New Wave explosion that is quite en vogue right now. Then there are the hardcore goths, rivet heads and punks trying to get what may be their first and last chance to experience bands like The Stranglers, and so many others I’ll discuss in greater detail in a moment. All these demos commune, clash, laugh, cry, ostracize, infantilize and fantasize with each other. Throughout the year they speculate on line-ups, tear down or validate band wish lists, turn each other on to new and old music and make both new friends and frenemies, just waiting for each new milestone that signals that the date of the festival is approaching. It’s mostly quite repetitive with multiple people asking the same questions in new post after new post- especially in the days just before the set times drop. But there is a sense of community even amongst the belligerent and I’ve been gifted everything from parking to VIP passes throughout the years.

I don’t fancy corporately consolidated industries but I have to hand it to Goldenvoice- as Coachella excitement and ticket sales velocity wane significantly for what may be the first time since it’s inception this year- they have hedged their stronghold on internationally worthy festivals and their consumers the last few years by building Cruel World into a very cool brand that appeals to a wide audience and also, No Values- an all punk festival with it’s first installment happening on June 8 of this year. To be honest, I gained a renewed respect for Goldenvoice after Cruel World 2023 and how they handled the sudden evacuation of the festival and one of the most anticipated festival sets of my life. Because if I never got to see Siouxsie Sioux perform I’d be singing a different tune right now.

What would the cosmic moment be in 2024? What one hit wonder easter eggs would foolheartedly draw me away from bands who can still play? Would traffic, disarray with the parking staff or unforeseen obstacles force me to miss ANY of the early, small print bands I’ve been obsessing about the last 5 years and Cruel World is so adept at selecting (this year it was losing my dog sitter + disarray in parking).

To answer the first question, the answer is Ministry and Uncle Al Jorgenson reneging on all his never again in regards to revisiting his synth pop era. He had disavowed it for decades as one might when they become hardcore industrial/metal gods or switch from Republican to Democrat or vice versa.

This year, it wasn’t a one hit wonder that cajoled me out of seeing Jesus and Mary Chain but rather the short lines, shade and media tent by the mainstage in VIP. My punishment was having to listen to Dreamcar. All respect to Davey Havok et al but… no. They are a supremely tight live band that just isn’t for me.

The small print bands with buzz were STACKED at Cruel World 2024. There has yet to be a band on that part of the lineup that I haven’t seen before but Zanias broke that streak. Unfortunately they were the first band playing after gates opened and while I knew I was going to miss their set, as well as revelatory synth pop outfits Body of Light and the hard hitting Leathers, I wasn’t planning on missing anything I wanted to see after that. So rather than complain that I missed my target to show up for Patriarchy, Adult., Harsh Symmetry and one of the best live band in any genre, Model/Actriz, I’ll tell you about the incredible Cruel World side show at The Fonda with TR/ST and ADULT. Two bands playing together that freed up some conflicts on the day of the festival.

TR/ST was largely responsible for not only rekindling my interest in dark wave but creating a new obsession with it that surpassed any past dabbles. The moody melodies and dynamic vocal register of Robert Alfons create a soundscape that perfectly compliment the blips, beeps and bass filled thuds that move the body and the heart. Last time I saw TR/ST was underwhelming. Insurmountable sound issues forced me to leave about 3 songs into the set. But everything was dialed in at The Fonda Theater. The best TR/ST show I had seen up to this point was in 2022 at the Masonic Lodge, which was a banger. But Thursday night at The Fonda was a sonic and visual masterpiece. Alfons seemed to sense that, or fuel it. Either way, even the arm swings of his signature dance moves swung wider than I had previously witnessed. The stage backdrop was visual and moody and for the first time it felt like TR/ST had brought the full force of their optimal live configuration since I first saw them at the Cloak and Dagger festival.

ADULT. Set the stage perfectly for TR/ST and the Los Angeles audience didn’t embarrass me during one of their gigs for the first time that I can remember. The fact that most people don’t know that ADULT. have been fully formed longer than two decades with a catalog that could take even the most enthusiastic new initiate a couple years to fully absorb only makes them cooler in my eyes. And the contempt I felt toward the L.A. audience I usually work hard to defend in previously undersold headlining club shows or the lack of moving feet during their set in an opening slot made me feel redeemed as an L.A. music fan at The Fonda. ADULT blistered through tracks like “I AM NOTHING in the first half of their set. The mix between the main track and Adam Lee Miller’s digital drum heads was off through much of the first few songs. But when he started hammering his bass guitar in the latter part of the program, the spells, incantations and curses cast by Nicola Kuperas increased in urgency with her swirling fingers and kaleidoscope eyes. Their set ended with a roar of approval from the Fonda crowd that were able to break a little sweat in anticipation of the headliner. Here is the first look at our interview with ADULT. From last year’s tour with My Life With Thrill Kill Kult.

ADULT. at The Fonda shot by Chris Molina

The Stranglers at Cruel World shot by Taylor Wong

I made it to the festival just in time to catch The Stranglers full set at The Lost Boys stage which, conveniently enough was the smallest and closest to the festival ground entrance/exit. The Faint were playing at the same slot on the main stage. I was hoping that at bare minimum, The Stranglers would be believable if I was going to miss an EXTREMELY fun and tight set from The Faint, if my past experiences were any indication of what I would be missing. My miniscule doubts were laid to rest the moment The Stranglers hit their first note.

The Stranglers were a revelation and what makes their air tight early day time set at Cruel World more revelatory is that they formed before I was born. Their blend of punk rock arrangements with, at times, complex synths laced into the music gives The Stranglers a unique feel in comparison to their contemporaries. While the line-up and roster has changed in significant ways including the death of Keyboardist, Dave Greenfield from COVID complications in 2020, the spirit, grit and ferociousness of their live show not. Seeing the Stranglers as my first band of Cruel World 2024 was one of the major highlights of the festival.

Right next door at the Sad Girl stage, I was able to witness Tolhurst and Budgie for the first time. This is a project of legendary drummers LOL (Lawrence) Tolhurst (The Cure) and Budgie (Siouxsie and the Banshees/The Creatures). The two, along with producer and collaborator Jacknife Lee have been working on the material presented at their set since well before the pandemic hit earth. A choice had to be made between this set and Gary Numan but since I saw Gary Numan TWICE at Cruel World 2023 and just weeks prior at The Fonda Theater, I decided to go with this. The material was solid as were the collaborators that joined them on stage such as Arrow de Wilde from buzzing band Starcrawler and Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse to perform both his collaboration with the band “We Got to Move” and a cover of goth rock, post punk classic from The Cure, “A Forest”. It was a little cringey when Brock didn’t really know the lyrics to the classic track but overall, I’d definitely like to see this project on it’s own, in a smaller venue.

Ministry at Cruel World shot by Taylor Wong

If I’m being honest with myself and the world, Ministry is in my top 3 bands of all time. What qualifies to be in that category has changed over the years. From the dystopian days of peak industrial Al Jorgenson/Paul Barker Ministry- Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, Land of Rape and Honey and one of the greatest live albums/VHS tape’s of all time, In Case You Didn’t Feel Like Showing Up (live), to their transition to metal Ministry which was launched with the seminal album Psalm 69 when I was in High School- Synth Pop Ministry was barely on my radar until about 10 years ago, aside from maybe dancing to it at some goth club over the years. Because Ministry is helmed by Al Jorgenson who also helmed Lard, Revolting Cocks, 1000 Homo DJ’s and other oddities that were constantly producing music so I was trying to keep up more than I was trying to circle back. I mean, the first Ministry album I bought was Twitch on cassette tape by accident. I returned it and didn’t re-up with that album until about 10 years ago when Ministry started playing gigs again.

I was 7 years old when With Sympathy came out and 9 years old when Twitch came out. I can’t recall public denunciations of those albums by Uncle Al until maybe 5 years ago when post punk, dark wave and synth pop first started making a resurgence among newer generations and scenes starting bands for the first time. But hearing Jorgenson make those public proclamations reminded me of Danzig and his never again statements about the Misfits or some popular politician saying they weren’t running for president just weeks before the candidacy was announced. I think Al accepted the offer from Goldenvoice at peak market and it landed on the Cruel World roster at the peak of my interest, personally. My only regret is that it was still daylight when Ministry both took and left the stage and it was the highlight of the festival before the day was half way through. With Uncle Al hinting that the next year or so would be the final victory lap for Ministry before he retires, it comes off as padding his retirement fund. But seeing the physical transformation of Al Jorgenson in style and aesthetic such as removing his half dozen eye brow piercings and long, healthy and undreaded hair flowing from his slick chapeau, it didn’t look like Uncle Al was trying to phone this gig in to collect a paycheck.

Ministry delighted us with new arrangements both for tracks off With Sympathy including “Revenge”, “Effigy (I’m not an)” and “I Wanted To Tell Her” and Twitch highlights such as “Just Like You”. Uncle Al and company also blessed us with their first single released by Wax Trax records, “I’m Falling”.

Adam Ant at Cruel World shot by Taylor Wong

For me, Cruel World felt a little anticlimatic after Ministry- partly my fault for some bad decisions on where to be and what to see and partly from minor annoyances like VIP security staff telling me Media wristbands weren’t allowed in VIP… where the Media tent was located. All I had to do was go to the other entrance about 300 feet away but I won’t lie, every line I waited in just to be told my parking lot was around the corner, every confused security at the different levels of access that wasted 2-5 mins all added up to quite a bit of squandered moments and with the festival peaking early for me, it was difficult to power through low energy performances from Adam Ant and the borderline painful first 20 mins of a Blondie set I thought I wanted to see all of… until I didn’t.

But of all the legacy pop acts, Soft Cell brought the heat the most. Soft Cell’s set was a level up from their set at Darker Waves (Live Nation’s Cruel World Copycat) set, for the most part. Marc Almond had more vocal control and nearly sent me into a nostalgia vortex when Soft Cell played Tainted Love as the second to last song of the set. New York performance artist Christeene Vale joined Soft Cell on stage during the song “Nighthawks” and cheapened up the joint in the best possible way. Vale must’ve caught a wave of adrenaline before rejoining Soft Cell for the last and most career defining song, Sex Dwarf. They overpowered the stage, swallowing the mic (figuratively) and came in too hot, sonically but the sheer spectacle of it all saved the song from being an utter disaster.

Soft Cell at Cruel World shot by Taylor Wong

Interpol at Cruel World shot by Taylor Wong

That led me to my 2nd best moment of the day which was Interpol who weren’t even on my radar because they conflicted with Blondie.. I had seen Interpol 3 times prior and each time proved to be more dynamic and tighter than the last- which is quite an achievement for a band known for monotone vocals and droning instrumentals. I would say that Interpol saved the day for me to some degree. Because after walking away from Blondie I was tired, cranky and a little bored and Interpol breathed new life into my lungs and enough oxygen into my muscles to power through the plan for the rest of the festival- Part of Duran Duran until Tones on Tail started.

The rest played out a little like the rest of the day… Aside from the buzz of Duran Duran starting their set with The Chauffeur, which I honestly dgaf about and just started getting warmed up right when I left to catch Tones on Tail.

I love anything that Daniel Ash does And if I had a vote, I’d cast it to make sure one of his projects were at every installment of Cruel World. The Love and Rockets set in 2023 pulled me away from Billy Idol in 2023 and Bauhuas in 2022 might’ve been the most memorable set by a band in my all time. So not only do they all three fit Cruel World but each one represents a different aspect of the post punk era. As much as I love tracks such as Performance and Go! (which I covered with one of my old bands), the Tones on Tail set felt a little laborious. In all likelihood, it was probably more my body than the band but at that point it didn’t really matter. The fumes I was running on were enough to give me a boost when Tones on Tail started playing the songs I wanted to hear. Opinions and taste are very personal (which is why music journalism is so ironic) but I would’ve LOVED to see Ministry in the Tones on Tail slot.

I started walking to my car before Go! was over and before the crowds rushed to clog the driving lanes and exits with cars. Walking on the golf course toward the back nine felt more like floating with Duran Duran playing one of my favorite tracks, “Save a Prayer” in the background. Which was perfect because even after dropping a pin on our parking spot on the golf course I said a few prayers after finding it difficult to spot it on the first few passes.

When comparing all three installments of Cruel World, I would say this year didn’t hit like the others for me. But the bar has been set very high and comparison is the thief of joy.

Cruel World Attendees shot by Taylor Wong

I started thinking again about fandom- militant fandom, casual fandom, clueless fandom. All the obsessing, researching, listening, watching and most importantly fan communities like Cruel World Festial Attendees group on FB. Every group of people and all communities are a microcosm of the world, at large. But the fervor and dedication of fans to this mid sized FB group is a testament to the experiences and memories created at Cruel World. Festivals always have a shelf life. Very few have the longevity of a Coachella and the Cruel World run will last only as long as the retro fever for post punk and the 80’s remain. If history is any indication, a resurgence in the 90’s or 2000’s is coming soon and it begs the question: Can Cruel World survive trends shifting in the musical landscape in society? The answer is probably no but until that shift happens- I’ll see you at Cruel World 2025.