Heat wave, Goth fashion, and live performances by DEVO, The Damned, Public Image Ltd. and more at Los Angeles' Cruel World Fest
Cruel World festival brought the love of new wave and the resurgence of goth attire to the quaint and classy city of Pasadena, California. The festival took place in Brookside at the Rosebowl Stadium in which the Rosebowl parade takes place every year. Crowd goers arrived early to the festival grounds to grab their spot at the front of the stage to watch their favorite artists perform live. The high temperatures and beating sun did not stop the attendees from attending the festival in the Valley. The crowd shielded from the heat wave under shady trees, relaxed lakeside, or took breaks in air conditioning at the Clubhouse Pavillion.
Devoted fans waited long lines to grab merchandise such as band t-shirts, hats, or gear of their favorite bands. Cruel World festival featured live performances by local, national, and international artists such as Cold Cave, Automatic, Public Image Ltd., DEVO, The Damned, and more!
Music lovers walked nearly ten miles or more over the weekend as they crossed the grounds to the three stages to experience the various live musical performances. Among the crowd, were the performing artists on the lineup, who were also enjoying the show such as band members from Cold Cave and Automatic and legendary Pro-Skateboarder, Tony Hawk. During the same week as Cruel World festival, Cold Cave performed at Tony Hawk’s curated Pollen festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fashion was a main highlight along with music at Cruel World Fest, patrons adorned exquisite fashion pieces from Victorian night gowns, metallic chain chokers, and other gothic accessories. Festival goers grabbed refreshments to stay hydrated in the California heat. They also enjoyed local beers at the ‘Tears for Beers’ station and pizza, poke bowls, and other food options from local food vendors.
Cruel World festival featured an array of musical genres from American and European new wave, dark wave, Punk Rock, synthpop, experimental music, and more! Check out SoundBite Magazine’s Cruel World playlist to enjoy tracks by the featured artists at the festival.
THE DAMNED
London’s The Damned made their way over seas to perform a special live show at Cruel World. As the artists stepped unto the stage, they appeared perfectly fitting for the theme of the music festival. Their gothic aesthetics was reminiscent of dark noir and old televisions shows such as “The Munsters” from the 1960s. Their Post-Punk melodies elevated the mood of the audience as they swayed and grooved along the metal barricade. Their energetic Punk Rock influenced various artists and shaped the hardcore Punk movement. The Damned streamed to fame earlier in their musical career. They debuted their single release, '“New Rose,” in 1976 and released their album, ‘‘Damned Damned Damned” a year later then began touring the states.
Their tracks have topped the United Kingdom’s Top 40 Singles Chart. For more information and upcoming tour dates, visit officialdamned.com.
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD.
Also, from London, England, Public Image Ltd took the main stage in the afternoon at Cruel World. Singer, John Lydon, founding member, was also part of the notable Punk Rock group, Sex Pistols, who revolutionized the Punk Rock movement through music, fashion, media, and politics, The Sex Pistols have influenced future generations since their fruition such as Punk fashion aesthetics and brands, daring on-stage performances, gritty musical styles, rebellious attitudes, and powerful protest movements. Lydon pursued his own musical ventures and created an experimental “Anti-Rock” project and developed his group, “Public Image Ltd.” The group released their debut album in 1978 featuring Progressive and Noise Rock musical styles.
Their live musical performance at Cruel World featured an Avante-Garde range of sounds from clips of experimental sounds to over dub. Public Image Ltd. influenced the dynamic shift from Punk Rock to Post Punk in the late 1970s. For more information and upcoming tour dates, visit pilofficial.com/info.html.
DEVO
Music fans modeled their DEVO hats and t-shirts as they walked around the festival grounds and crowded around the main stage for DEVO’s live set. The artists combine mixed media for live musical performances showcasing retro music videos and images on their stage backdrop. With a faithful cult following, DEVO’s fans travel from all over the world to experience this iconic band live. The group blend themes of science fiction with comedic visuals during their live sets. Their stage setup and musical equipment ensembles almost appear as if they were about to perform a science experiment.
The industrial artists pioneered the way people experienced music videos through media outlets such as MTV. DEVO developed retro cartoonish comedic music videos along with catchy tracks that captivated audiences across the world and boosted their popularity on the mainstream. The artists also influenced fashion with their extraterrestrial style from orange bucket hats, bright yellow jumpsuits, and UFO collars. During their live performance at Cruel World Fest, DEVO displayed funny reels on their backdrop and performed various tracks from their more experimental and noteworthy tracks. Their abrupt vocals, fused synthesizers, and stimulating visuals captivated the audience making them DEVO fans for life. For more information and upcoming tour dates, visit clubdevo.com.
Coverage by Veronica Potes // Instagram: @veropoteart
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