Hello, Cruel World.
Concert promoter Goldenvoice announced the lineup for the new Cruel World Festival, which comes to Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson on Saturday, May 2, and you’ll want to break out your best new wave moves and your darkest eyeliner.
Morrissey, Bauhaus, Blondie and Devo lead the lineup for the one-day fest, which has plenty of choices if you listened to KROQ back in the early ’80s. Echo and the Bunnymen, The Psychedelic Furs, Violent Femmes, The Church, Public Image Ltd., Gary Numan, Marc Almond, TR/ST, Cold Cave, Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel, Berlin, Bad Manners and Missing Persons.
There are also some newer artists who draw influence from the heyday of new wave on the bill, including She Wants Revenge and Blaqk Audio.
London After Midnight, Drab Majesty, 45 Grave, Christian Death, The Meteors, Black Marble, Sextile, Softkill and the KVB round out the bill.
It’s not the first time Goldenvoice, which is behind events such as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and last weekend’s One Love Cali Reggae Fest in Long Beach, has topped a festival with fans who love black eyeliner. Last year, the concert promoter put on Pasadena Daydream along with The Cure, on the grounds surrounding the Rose Bowl last August.
Many of the artists on Cruel World have played Coachella, including Morrissey, Bauhaus — who could forget Peter Murphy singing upside down in 2005 — Devo and the Violent Femmes among them. And Numan was supposed to play the desert festival in 2010, but he was stranded overseas due to the Icelandic volcano.
A pre-sale for Cruel World begins at noon on Thursday, Feb. 13, and tickets go on sale to the public at noon Feb. 14.
Fans can get access to the pre-sale by visiting cruelworldfest.com and entering their mobile number. Prices start at $135 plus fees for general admission and as various quantities sell out, the price can increase to up to $165 plus fees.
VIP tickets start at $225 and may increase to $250, before fees, according to the website. VIP gives ticketholders a separate entry and access to a VIP viewing area, bathrooms and food away from the general admission crowd. A ticket package dubbed Super VIP runs $350, plus fees, and comes with a special viewing pit in front of the main stage, access to a lounge with complimentary snacks and water, preferred parking lot access and a merch bundle.
The festival is also offering payment plans where fans can put $19.99 down.
Visit cruelworldfest.com for tickets and more information.
