On May 11, 2024 at 4:30 am, the destination was the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. for The Cruel World Festival. This was the third annual Cruel World Festival and it keeps getting better every time. This festival is marked by all of the different people in attendance. The general attendance was much more “colorful” which gave us the flavors we were all looking for.
Body of Light was first on the Lost Boys stage at 12:10 pm. This band only has two members but they had a full electronic sound that the masses loved. Their short but elegant set was tight and well thought out.
Setlist:
1.Time To Kill
2. Fear
3. Dangerous
4. This Conversation
5. Never Ever
6. Bitter Reflection
7. Don’t Pretend
8. Tremble
Patriarchy, a snuff-metal band was on the Sad Girls Stage at 12:40 pm. Man, what a band. With two members, Actually Huizenga and The Drummer two shredded their set with energy and enthusiasm. Who would have thought these two raged? As they moved through their set, they seemed to be removing their clothing. It was a mesmerizing performance.
Setlist:
1.Sex Doll
2. Hell Was Full
3. The Man for You
4. Suffer
5. No Touch Torture
6. (Unknown)
7. Hurt Me
Back to The Lost Boys stage at 1:10 pm for Harsh Symmetry. Harsh Symmetry is the solo project of musician Julian Sharwarko. This duet rocked the stage with a passion and substance that would lighten up anyone’s life. Their set was fun and lively.
Next up on The Sad Girls Stage was the Los Angeles band, Nuovo Testamento. This was a hometown show for them and they pounded out their songs to the friends in attendance. Their set was fun and exciting from the start and finished up that way.
Setlist:
1.Wildlife
2. Heartbeat
3. Michelle Michelle
4. Vanity
5. Love Lines
6. Heat
7. The Searcher
Jumping back to the Lost Boys Stage, it was time for The Motels at 2:10 pm. They played all the fan favorites and the fans were whipped into a frenzy during the nine-song set and Martha Davis ate it up. They didn’t neglect anything and it was well received by the masses.
Band:
Martha Davis – Vocals
Nic Johns – Bass
Clint Walsh – Guitar
Eric Gardner – Drums
Marty Jourard – Sax/Keyboards
Setlist:
1.Tipping Point
2. Where Do We Go From Here
3. Suddenly Last Summer
4. Danger
5. Take the L
6. Total Control
7. Remember the Nights
8. So L.A.
9. Only the Lonely
The English goth band, Mission UK graced the Sad Girls Stage at 2:45 pm. Wayne Hussey sounded like he did in the 80’s, just remarkable. They played an incredible set that was well-received by the audience. The crowd was dancing and singing and they even had a small performance in the audience with a person standing on someone’s shoulders. It was an awesome set!
Band:
Wayne Hussey – guitars, lead vocals, keyboards, piano
Craig Adams – bass, backing vocals
Simon Hinkler – guitars, keyboards
Alex Baum – drums
Setlist:
1.Tower of Strength
2. Beyond the Pale
3. Met-Amor-Phosis
4. Severina
5. Like a Child Again
6. Butterfly on a Wheel
7. Wasteland
8. Deliverance
Heading over to the Outsiders stage at 3:15 pm where the indie band, The Faint was up next. The Faint, fronted by Todd Fink, put on a phenomenal performance that stunned the audience. The crowd loved the nine-song set and at their completion screamed for more. They had people dancing along in the crowd as they performed. What a fun set for everyone involved.
Band:
Todd Fink – Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar
Clark Baechle – Drums, Percussion
Dapose (Michael Dappen) – Guitar
Graham Ulicny – Keyboards, Vocals
Setlist:
1.Quench the Flame
2. Skylab1979
3. The Geeks Were Right
4. Worked Up So Sexual
5. Paranoiattack
6. Evil Voices
7. Glass Danse
8. I Disappear
9. Agenda Suicide
Gary Numan brought The Pleasure Principle to the Outsiders Stage at 3:55 pm. Gary Numan was one of the highlights of the Cruel World event and it was amazing to see his performance. The ten-song set included six songs that he hadn’t performed in eight years. One of the highlights of his set was bringing his daughters, Raven and Persia out to sing one of his last songs.
Setlist:
1.Airlane (First time since 2016)
2. M.E.
3. Tracks (First time since 2016)
4. Engineers (First time since 2016)
5. Metal
6. Complex (First time since 2016)
7. Films
8. Conversation (First time since 2016) (Background vocals by his three daughters)
9. Observer (First time since 2016)
10. Cars
With things starting to get interesting, it was time on The Outsiders Stage for Ministry at 4:45 pm. Their show was songs from the With Sympathy and Twitch albums. Regrettably, these albums, have been forgotten by Al Jourgensen until recent times. Al remastered the set bringing in four backup singers, a cellist, a violin player, and former Nine Inch Nails keyboardist, Charlie Clouser. The audience loved the additional musicians and cheered their approval.
Band:
Al Jourgensen – Lead Vocals/Guitars
Charlie Clouser – Keyboards
Monte Pittman – Guitars/Backing Vocals
Cesar Soto – Guitars/Backing Vocals
Roy Mayorga – Drums
Paul D’Amour – Bass
Tina Guo – Electronic Cello
Mia Asano – Electronic Violin
Setlist:
1.Work for Love (First time since 1984. With Tina Guo on electronic cello and Mia Asano on electronic violin)
2. All Day (First time since 1987)
3. Over the Shoulder (First time since 1987)
4. Just Like You (First time since 1987)
5. We Believe (First time since 2003)
6. I’m Falling (First time since 1984)
7. Effigy (I’m Not An) (First time since 1984)
8. Revenge
9. (Everyday Is) Halloween (First time since 2019. With Tina Guo on electronic cello and Mia Asano on electronic violin)
At 5:25 pm over on the Sad Girls Stage, it was time for the Scottish alternative rock band, The Jesus and Mary Chain. This band was the one that so many were waiting for and it was easy to tell. The set sounded amazing and the band looked good which was important. They played their hits and the crowd loved it. It was an awesome set!
Band:
Jim Reid – Vocals, Guitar, Bass
William Reid – Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Mark Crozer – Guitar
Scott Von Ryper – Guitar
Justin Welch – Drums
Setlist:
1.Jamcod
2. Happy When It Rains
3. Head On
4. All Things Pass
5. Chemical Animal
6. Some Candy Talking
7. Blues From a Gun
8. In a Hole
9. Sidewalking
10. Sometimes Always (with Zanias)
11. Just Like Honey (with Zanias)
12. Reverence
The 1980’s star Adam Ant, put on a stunning with his performance over on the Outsiders Stage at 6:25 pm. Adam’s way with words is just perfect, matched with his stage presence he is stunning. It was worth the wait to see him and he packed all the music and his stage show perfectly.
Setlist:
1.Antmusic
2. Vive le Rock
3. Friend or Foe
4. Dog Eat Dog
5. Ants Invasion
6. Prince Charming
7. Zerox
8. Kings of the Wild Frontier
9. Desperate but Not Serious
10. Beat My Guest
11. Goody Two Shoes
12. Stand and Deliver
Soft Cell might have been the surprise of the festival. Marc Almond and David Ball knocked it out of the park with their performance. Five of the songs in the set were off the 1981 release Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret highlighted by the hit single “Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go.”
Setlist:
1.Memorabilia
2. A Man Could Get Lost
3. Bedsitter
4. Torch
5. Insecure Me
6. Loving You, Hating Me
7. Seedy Films
8. Nighthawks (with Christeene)
9. Nostalgia Machine
10. Chips on My Shoulder
11. Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go
12. Sex Dwarf (with Christeene)
With the sun starting to set on the Sad Girls Stage, Interpol started the set at 8:45 pm. The stage lights were in use and it was time for a rock and roll show. They had an amazing set filled with audience participation as the crowd sang all the lyrics word for word.
Band:
Paul Banks – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar
Daniel Kessler – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals, Piano
Sam Fogarino – Drums, Percussion
Brandon Curtis – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Brad Truax – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Setlist:
1.C’mere
2. Say Hello to the Angels
3. Narc
4. My Desire
5. Obstacle 1
6. The Rover
7. Rest My Chemistry
8. Not Even Jail
9. All the Rage Back Home
10. Evil
11. Pioneer to the Falls
12. PDA
13. Slow Hands
Tones on Tail closed out the festival on The Sad Girls Stage. This British post-punk band formed in 1982 and then Tones on Tail disbanded in 1984 and was reformed in 2024. Band members Daniel Ash, Diva Dompé, and Kevin Haskins played a great set. As the other two stages ended their entertainment, their crowds added to the numbers in front of the stage.
I was waiting for this performance for several months and they didn’t disappoint me. Phenomenal set guys! You rock.
Setlist:
1.Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley cover)
2. OK, This Is the Pops
3. Movement of Fear
4. Happiness
8. Lions
9. Burning Skies
10. Twist (First known performance by Tones on Tail)
11. Performance
12. Go!
13. There’s Only One
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Photographer of about 10 years, I have been shooting concerts for about 8 of those years. I started to get serious about concert photography about 6 or 7 years ago and now try to shoot as many as I can. I shoot mostly rock but, have done some country and big band stuff. I love music and since I am nowhere close to being a musician, this is a way I can be a small part of what, in the words of Henry Rollins, “gets me through the highs, the lows and everything in between”.