Cruel World 2025 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA.
Welcome to one of Los Angeles’s most electrifying festivals, Cruel World, where shadows come alive and music reigns supreme. This one-day celebration casts a spell with its haunting array of genres—darkwave, nuwave, 80s, post-punk, and goth rock unite under a heavy, brooding sky. This year’s lineup was nothing short of legendary, featuring titans like New Order, Nick Cave + The Bad Seeds, The Go-Go’s, DEVO, OMD, Death Cult, Garbage, Madness, Til Tuesday, Alison Moyet, Blancmange, Stereo MC’s, Buzzcocks, Clan Of Xymox, Midge Ure, She Wants Revenge, Chelsea Wolfe, Mareux, She Past Away, Nation of Language, Provoker, Depresion Sonora, Kite, N8NOFACE, Actors, Deceits, Light Asylum, Wisteria, and Social Order.
The talent was as rich as the dark clouds above. For those donned in black, the chilling 58-degree embrace of the day perfectly matched the vibe—a gloomy, spectral backdrop for revelry. The only hiccup? A couple of downpours that crashed in around midday. Yet, as Stereo MC’s took the stage, the rain turned into a catalyst for joy, with festival-goers dancing wildly, forsaking worries as they embraced the moment in a deluge of exhilarating chaos.
The festival is an all-out adventure, and one thing that really stood out was how on-point the bands were, starting right on schedule. The crew at Cruel World really run a tight operation. If you’ve never been to Cruel World, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Be prepared for a lot of walking; two of the three stages are just a minute apart, while the main stage is about a six-minute sprint or an eight-minute stroll from the other two. The food prices aren’t cheap, which is something to expect, and they do offer paid lockers for your belongings. If you didn’t opt for VIP parking, be ready for a trek to the venue. It’s a good idea to snap a photo of where you parked or keep your Google timeline handy for when your trying to leave. I noticed quite a few people wandering around the expansive parking lot trying to trigger their car alarms to pinpoint their vehicles.
The festival itself was a whirlwind of electric energy, with acts igniting the main stage with unforgettable performances. She Past Away provided just the haunting vibes our little black hearts craved, while Maruex mesmerized us all. The legendary Till Tuesday graced us with their talent after nearly 30 years, an absolute treat well worth the decades waiting! The Buzzcocks and Devo electrified the crowd from start to finish, delivering a jolt of energy that struck right to our very core. Garbage, a band that always hits the mark, brought back that delicious dose of ‘90s teen angst at Cruel World, and She Wants Revenge kept the massive crowd dancing.
Choosing between Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and The Go-Go’s was a daunting task, but I ultimately succumbed to the allure of Nick Cave (who sadly went unphotographed). He and his band were nothing short of perfection—every element, from the stage setup to Cave’s hauntingly beautiful vocals and eccentric stage presence, came together like a beautiful dark masterpiece.
It was finally time for the highly anticipated headliner, New Order. For anyone who cherishes Joy Division, the clock striking midnight marked a poignant moment in music history—the tragic loss of Ian Curtis on May 18, 1980. New Order kicked off their set with the electrifying “Transmission” and concluded with a heartfelt tribute to Ian Curtis through “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” This closing was a fitting way to wrap up the festival. Despite the underlying sadness, the atmosphere was filled with a wave of love and compassion that embraced us all in the crisp night air.
We can’t wait to see what cruel world 2026 will unveil! In the meantime, maintain your dark spirits, and remember, we can always use a bit more darkness.
Photos and Review by Michael Olivas ~𝕭𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖉𝖊𝖉 𝕲𝖔𝖓𝖅𝖔 𝕻𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖗𝖆𝖕𝖍