Over the years the Rose Bowl has hosted epic events. You can add Cruel World 2025 to the list of memorable events. No matter where you looked, each stage area was packed, and fans of all ages, nationalities and every walk of life was represented. Some came from near and many came from far-far away for every reason imaginable.
When you spoke with fans, it was a myriad of stories that ran from love stories to tragedies, celebrating remarkable journeys to honoring lost loves, friends and family. No matter who you spoke with, the high school jock, the nerd, the cheerleader, the brainiac, the Goth… they were all there and for that one day, we shared in our common bond: our love for bands playing Cruel World 2025.
As the gates opened, the line to get in was literally a mile long, and that’s no exaggeration. Luckily, the event staff worked diligently to get us all in, but the massive congregation of humanity wad already apparent.
Unlike the week before for Just Like Heaven fest, weather was not scorching hot, instead it was overcast, yet pleasant. More to come on that.
By the time we got in and checked in the festival was underway, I couldn’t catch all the openers, I wish I had, band like Aefors were killing it on the main stage. I heard their set from a distance, and they sounded great.
By the time I got settled it was time for Midge Ure. Sir Midge was appropriately introduced by iconic Broadcaster Richard Blade. Sir Midge walked out to a cheering crowd, and he sounded and looked great!
Immediately I overheard people talking about how they loved him and each person around me was expressing their favorite song. For me it was new romantic hit, “Reap the Wild Wind” when he led Ultravox. “If I had” got an enormous response as well, and Ure was moved by the reception he got. He thanks everyone and I mean everyone who listened to and played his music.
The thing about festivals like this, if you ever wondered what Warped Tour was like, this was it. You found yourself running from stage to stage to catch the next band. For me, it was punk rock legends, Buzzcocks. I have been beyond fortunate over the years to have gotten to know the band, and honestly, they sound just as good today ad they did when I first saw them in the ‘80s.
Sadly, Pete Shelly is no longer with us, by Steve Diggle has taken over the vocals and did not miss a step. Songs like “Why Can’t I Touch It,” “Destination Zero,” and “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’tve)” got enormous cheers from the appreciative crowd. By now, we felt the sprinkles of sprinkles in the air.
The next epic moment was catching Blacmange on the main stage. The New Wave / synth-pop legend that is Neil Arthur sounded amazing.
Fans were dancing and singing along to every word to their classics, “Living on the Ceiling,” “Blind Vision,” and “Don’t Tell Me.” By now, the crowd was enormous, and it was surreal to see so many people all dancing and singing in unison, it was definitely an MTV video moment.
For me, I was so happy to see Allison Moyet take the stage. I have always loved her music, and I was not alone in that assessment. Moyet looked great, sounded great, and that smile could melt ice in the North Pole.
Her energy was infectious, but it was her vocal range that made that moment we shared with her special. The crowd was taken back by “Only You,” while they dance their assess off to “Situation,” “Love Resurrection,” and Don’t Go.” Powerful, beauty personified is how best described her performance.
I had a moment to catch ‘Til Tuesday, Amee Mann sounded good, very good. She looked great and sounded even better. Because of the Warped Tour like schedule I was keeping, I missed some of the set, but “Voices Carry” sounded so good!
Then the music gods were ready to turn it up a notch as Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) took to the stage. As Andy McClusky took his place front and center, the crowd went absolutely nuts as they opened with “Electricity.”
No matter what they played, it worked, and the crowd ate it up. McClusky was fun and witty as he always is, and he exchanged funny barbs with bandmate Paul Humphries. They played al the hits and a few songs you don’t hear too often. Songs like “Joan of Arc – Maid of Orleans,” got a huge response. Humphries came out behind his keyboard to deliver “Forever Live and Die.”
What was funny about that sequence was after Humphries finished, McClusky said “Paul, I will take your (Forever) Live and Die,” and raise you with a song from a movie,” the crowd went off as they segued into “If You Leave,” the song that made us all fall in love with Molly Ringwald in “Pretty in Pink.” They weren’t done as they dazzled with “So in Love,” “Dreaming,” “Locomotion” and closed to an appreciative crowd to “Enold Gay.” By now, the drizzle got a little more noticeable.
The next bad we caught on the other side of the grounds was She Wants Revenge. The dark wave juggernauts featured Justin Warfiled and Adam Bravin, and the due were pumped for the crowd.
Maybe it was destiny, but the clouds, winds and rain played into another surreal moment as the duo took to memory lane with “Tear You Apart.”
This festival would not have been as anticipated as it was without the sights and sounds of MADNESS. The TwoTone Ska Kings were un-f’in-believable. Opening with the Prince Buster classic, “One Step Beyond.” The crowd was skankin’ in their doc martens and checkered themed everything.
Suggs took us on a journey of electric wonder with their hit parade, “My Girl,” “Shut Up,” “House of Fun,” Baggy Trousers,” “Our House,” “It Must Be Love” “Madness,” before closing up with “Nite Boat to Cairo!”
Up next was the band that may have had the most outrageous fans, that honor was left to DEVO. There I met so many fans that came from everywhere on the planet. The ladies next to me drove all night from Utah, Karen said it was her fifth time seeing DEVO and was beyond ecstatic to see them again.
Needless to say, Karen and DEVO did not disappoint. As soon as the band took to the stage, Karen lost her mind and so did 50,000 spuds that showed for this performance.
I mean there were no empty spaces on the grounds for this one. Mark Mothersbaugh was dynamic in performance and his vocals were haunting. “Peek a Boo,” “That’s Good,” “Girl U Want,” “Whip It,” “Uncontrollable Urge,” and “Gates of Steel,” almost turned the festival upside down and then sideways!
Another over the top performance was provided by Shirley Manson and GARBAGE! Butch Vig killed it on drums, Duke Erikson and Steve Marker were electric on guitar and keys.
Set highlights had to be “# 1 Crush,” “I Think I’m Paranoid,” “Stupid Girl,” and “Only Happy When It Rains,” which got the biggest cheer of the night.
By now, the sun had dipped into the Pacific and the lights took effect. Up next was Nick Cave and those Bad Seeds. Being the Pide Piper he is, Cave delivered a perfect set, not a step was missed and the crowd was mesmerized at the vocals.
The crowd appreciated his delivery of “From Her to Eternity,” “Jubilee Street,” and “Hollywood.” The crowd stopper was perfect way to end, again, the mist in the air was the perfect backdrop to “Everybody’s Losing Somebody.”
Yet, the Death Cult was still on deck. Ian Astbury took no prisoners, and sounded fantastic! “Resurrection Joe, “Hollow Man,” and “She Shells Sanctuary” delivered on their epic sound.
The Go-Go’s also had something to add as they reminded us why they are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Belinda sounded as great as ever, Jane Wiedland was Jane, fun, happy and forever young!
They opened with “Vacation,” and never looked back. Their high velocity music played perfectly. “Tonite,” “How Much More,” “Skidmarks on My Heart,” “Head Over Heels,” “This Town,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” and “We Got the Beat,” made us all sixteen again. They were the perfect band for this festival.
It was hard to believe that the day was close to ending, but not before we got to see the band that defined an era and captivated our youth, New Order was the headliner that brought us all to one stage.
The band took us through a sonic journey that included their incarnation as Joy Division. “Isolation,” and “Transmission” took us back in time. “Blue Monday,” and “Bizarre Love Triangle” brought out the dancers in the crowd.
It was the life defining songs that brought out the lighters and had everyone singing along, “Temptation,” “Age of Consent,” “Sub-Culture,” and “True Faith” brought tears to the eyes of women and men alike as the music literally moved them.
The journey for the entire wouldn’t complete just yet, that is until we heard the keys that led to Joy Division’s “Love Will tear Us Apart.” Wow, wow , and wow wad the expression best to describe how the crowd took in the final song of the day!
This festival lived up to the billing, and beyond. It was as if we all jumped into our own personal Tardis, revved up the time machine and landed at several points in our life. Be it good or not so good, a journey taken or a love lost – we got to experience what music is meant to do, make us feel. That being the measurement of the event, I could’ve done without the rain, but aside that… Cruel World 2025 was a monumental success.
No matter who you talked to as we left Brookside at the Rose Bowl, they can’t wait to see what Goldenvoice has in store for them next year!
