Siouxsie, Iggy Pop, Billy Idol, Love and Rockets and Echo & the Bunnymen are among the 1980s new wave notables set to play the 2023 Cruel World festival in Pasadena, Calif. Goldenvoice’s one-day festival returns to Brookside at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, May 20.
Also appearing are acts including ABC, Adam Ant, The Human League, Gang of Four, Gary Numan, Modern English, The Motels and the Vapors.
The festival marks Siouxsie’s first North American performance in 15 years. The goth pioneer’s last album was “Mantaray” in 2007. Siouxsie Sioux performed with The Banshees and The Creatures before she became a solo act, and she now goes simply by Siouxsie. Cruel World audiences will undoubtedly be hoping for a duet between Siouxsie and Iggy Pop on his hit “The Passenger,” which she memorably covered in a goth-tinged version.
Love and Rockets, which was comprised of former members of Bauhaus, last performed together in 2008, then split up in 2009. Although co-founder Daniel Ash had said at the time that he had no further plans to play with band members David J and Kevin Haskins, he’s clearly had a change of thought. The band recently created a new Instagram account to promote their reunion.
Cruel World offers VIP and Clubhouse options, including access to the air-conditioned lounge and access to an upfront viewing area at both stages. Passes will go on sale on Friday.
The festival comes just one week after Goldenvoice’s Just Like Heaven festival at the same venue, which is set to feature Yeah Yeah Yeahs and MGMT.
The complete lineup for Cruel World in alphabetical order is below:
ABC
Adam Ant
Animotion
Aurat
Billy Idol
Boy Harsher
Echo & The Bunnymen
Ela Minus
Gang of Four
Gary Numan
Glass Spells
GVLLOW
The Human League
Iggy Pop
Love and Rockets
Modern English
Molchat Doma
Riki
Siouxsie
The Motels
The Soft Moon
The Vapors
Twin Tribes
Urban Heat
