Cruel World Festival '24 review featuring Duran Duran, Simple Minds, Blondie, Adam Ant, The Motels, Jesus and Mary Chain, Gary Numan, Mission UK, more

Duran Duran photo by Alden Bonecutter

“Are you having a good time? We’ll put a stop to that,” said Wayne Hussey, during The Mission’s afternoon slot at Cruel World. Black attire and goth rock strains were common at the festival. But witnessing first wave alternative icons like Simon Le Bon (pictured left with John Taylor) and Deborah Harry still delivering solid performances after more than four decades had to brighten even the gloomiest of personalities.

Unlike last year’s event, when the final stretch was stopped due to potential lightning strikes with Iggy Pop onstage and resumed the next day, there were no problems last Saturday in Pasadena, Calif.

The third Cruel World boasted a stacked lineup featuring 30 acts on three stages. New wave, post-punk, electronic rock, goth, and related genres from the 1970s and 1980s were well represented (Simple Minds, The Jesus and Mary Chain, the Stranglers, Adam Ant, Soft Cell, General Public). There were 1990s and 2000s artists who followed in their footsteps (Interpol, Placebo, The Faint) and younger musicians in a similar stylistic vein. Not surprisingly, the lion’s share of them formed in the U.K.

Gary Numan (playing his seminal 1979 album The Pleasure Principle front to back for the first time in eight years) and Blondie made return visits to Cruel World. So did Tones on Tail members, completing a Bauhaus/Love and Rockets reunion trifecta.

Industrial music band Ministry unveiled modernized versions of songs from Eighties releases With Sympathy and Twitch, alongside female backing singers and an electric violinist at times (leader Al Jourgensen no longer hates the former album and plans to issue a re-recorded version soon).

Before the Brookside at the Rose Bowl gates opened, one man was seen peddling marijuana leaf-festooned safari hats out of a pull wagon, while simultaneously offering indica and sativa-flavored gummies. Until a security employee said he’d have to move further away. Nearby, a merch truck was surprisingly selling Cruel World t-shirts at a reasonable price. Many concertgoers were overheard discussing flights into SoCal from across America and other countries.

Headliner Duran Duran, a consistently creative force, retains a large enough following to sell out the Hollywood Bowl three times (in 2022) and is a regular presence on the road. The musicians sounded tight on the main Outsiders stage and put on a stellar career-spanning show.

A filmed introduction displayed the four original members - singer Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and drummer Roger Taylor - arriving via spaceship. Then they were actually onstage, looking impeccably dressed as usual. 

Opening the 16-song set with a haunting “The Chauffeur,” the R-rated music video nestled among the awesome screen graphics, Duran Duran followed it with a brawny “The Wild Boys.” The punchy, horn-driven funk of “Notorious” was among multiple high points. Le Bon and John Taylor’s camaraderie was clearly evident throughout the soaring harmonies on “Hungry Like the Wolf,” The Reflex,” “Planet Earth,” and “Careless Memories.”

Le Bon dedicated the beautiful hit ballad “Ordinary World” to the citizens of Palestine, Israel, and Ukraine in hopes they all find peace at home. “Come Undone,” where backing singer Anna Ross came to the fore, had a gorgeous sheen. “New Moon on Monday,” intriguingly revamped like the handful of classic tracks on latest album Danse Macabre, was a pleasant surprise. Duran Duran’s cover of Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” (included on Macabre) slotted well into a “Girls on Film” medley.

Blondie was in fine form, propelled by Clem Burke’s powerhouse rhythms. The glorious “Maria” (a U.K. #1 in '99), an extended “Heart of Glass” (with Harry donning a mirrored coat) and positively effusive “Dreaming” closed the group’s set.

Interpol definitely knows how to create an atmosphere. The NYC indie rock band was shrouded in darkness. Frontman Paul Banks wore his trademark shades and mostly appeared in shadow. Urgent reverberating tracks “Say Hello to the Angels” and “Obstacle 1,” from 2002’s classic debut Turn on the Bright Lights and the sense of mystique in “Narc” made the biggest impact.

Placebo delivered a frequently captivating performance that was bolstered by attractive visuals. Singer/guitarist Brian Molko greeted the crowd’s “ladies and gents” and those who lie somewhere between like he does. The alt-rock band launched its Cruel World set with a harrowing “Taste in Men.” Other songs about sex and drugs, such as “Slave to the Wage” (Molko tweaked a lyric) and the edgy, thrashing “Special K” (both from 2000’s high water mark Black Market Music) were standouts. Fans were surely thrilled to find dynamic early U.K. hit “Every You, Every Me” finally return to the setlist.

Simple Minds photo by Andy Boyle

Simple Minds, back in America for a one-off show after six years away, were astounding. The Glasgow alt-rock band – the subject of excellent new documentary “Everything is Possible” which recently had a limited theatrical release and should be available widely in the near future - reminded everyone why it continues to headline arenas and stadiums across the U.K. and Europe.

Jim Kerr, in strong vocal form and energetic, easily elicited crowd participation at every turn. He appreciated seeing a Scottish flag being waved around. Always moving, Kerr would be crouched down while singing one moment; then on his back, the next. No wonder he announced, “I’m knackered” halfway through. Meanwhile, other founding member Charlie Burchill constantly mesmerized the audience with all his chiming guitar work.

High points included the simmering tension of “Waterfront,” the atmospheric “Someone Somewhere in Summertime,” a soulful “Sanctify Yourself,” strident cover of The Call’s “The Walls Came Down” (Kerr dedicated it to “our friend,” the late Call singer/songwriter Michael Been) and signature hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me) with an extended singalong.

Dreamcar's cover of King’s 1985 U.K. hit “Love and Pride” was perfectly suited to leader Davey Havok’s voice. The AFI leader, along with No Doubt's Tony Kanal, drummer Adrian Young and guitarist Tom Dumont, seemed to be having just as much fun onstage as they did at Coachella with No Doubt last month.

Just prior to Adam Ant taking the stage, a video message from Mike Peters of The Alarm explained that he had to cancel their Cruel World appearance due to a cancer relapse and undergo treatment. The singer/guitarist said he hopes to be back in 2025.

Ant and his band sounded lean and mean during the Burundi beat driven “Antmusic,” the spirited “Friend of Foe,” eerie-sounding "Ants Invasion" and another heavily percussive early tune, “Dog Eat Dog.”

Gary Numan let the icy, David Bowie/Brian Eno-inspired new wave tunes from The Pleasure Principle do all the talking. The vocalist frequently made dramatic gestures, flailed around, and got more animated after inviting his three adult daughters onstage during “Conversation.” The crowd really perked up at the end when it was time for Numan’s lone American top 10 hit “Cars.”

Heaven 17 photo by Alden Bonecutter

Influential synth pop duo Heaven 17’s danceable set defined “exuberant.” Two female backing vocalists added soulfulness to Glenn Gregory’s robust delivery. As keyboardist/musical partner Martyn Ware looked on, Gregory engaged in plenty of humorous between-song banter, such as why he disliked “We Live So Fast” (it is difficult to sing; they were a studio band never intending to tour). The hyper driven “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thing,” a tender electronic “Let Me Go” and the credible take on David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” stood out and received rousing responses.

Earlier this spring, The Jesus and Mary Chain released Glasgow Eyes, its first album in seven years, an impressive return to form for the veteran noise pop merchants. Briefly obscured by smoke in the afternoon at Cruel World, the Reid Brothers performed “JAMCOD” and “Chemical Animal” from it; both were appropriately sinister.

More melodic tunes from the mid-to-late ‘80s proved impressive as past album cover photos flashed on the backdrop, particularly “Some Candy Talking,” “Head On” (once recorded by the Pixies),” “Happy When it Rains” and “Sidewalking.” The band brought out female singer Zanias to guest on “Sometimes Always” (in place of Hope Sandoval on record) and “Just Like Honey,” but her low vocal register was distracting.

The Stranglers photo by Andy Boyle

Right before The Stranglers took the stage, one concertgoer was heard saying, “Thirty years ago, we wouldn’t have seen any of these bands in the daylight.” Very true. Eclectic English rock band The Stranglers, currently on a 50th anniversary tour, made its lone North American live appearance at Cruel World.

Longtime lead singer/guitarist Baz Warne (pictured left) mentioned “the hoops we had to go through to get here” and “we’re from another fucked up country” like America. With original bassist/singer/songwriter J.J. Burnel in tow, the cracking band sounded appropriately salty during such homeland hits as the frenetic “Get a Grip on Yourself” and the leering “Peaches.” Some sweetness shined through during U.S. college/modern rock favorite ballad “Always the Sun” (many in the crowd sang along loudly) and a circuitous, organ-heavy “Golden Brown.”

The Motels, which had to cancel its 2023 Cruel World appearance, turned in a terrific performance. The band opened with a propulsive “Tipping Point,” from 2018’s underrated The Last Few Beautiful Days album. Martha Davis was congenial and played electric guitar. Fellow core member Marty Jourard did some eerie synth lines on it and added haunting sax bursts.

The slow-churning drama of “Total Control,” dating back to 1979, was riveting. Davis’ vocals were robust as ever amid several tunes taken from the group’s successful ‘80s albums All Four One and Little Robbers. Key examples included the alluring “Suddenly Last Summer,” a dramatic “Take the L,” ghostly rocker “So L.A.,” and signature indelible hit “Only the Lonely.”

Goth rock band The Mission was compelling, particularly during the intense hit singles “Wasteland,” “Beyond the Pale,” the dark “Severina” and quiet “Butterfly on a Wheel.”

Los Angeles/Bologna-based Nuovo Testamento brought some infectious Italo-disco in the early afternoon. The trio’s fun, danceable tunes like high-NRG “Heartbeat” and “Wildlife” from latest album Love Lines recalled the Eighties heyday of pop production wizards Shep Pettibone and Jellybean Benitez (think: Madonna, Pet Shop Boys). Singer Chelsey Crowley was all smiles during the seductive “Michelle Michelle,” a highlight of their set.

Body of Light, an Arizona duo comprised of brothers Alex and Andrew Jarson, launched the day’s proceedings at the Lost Boys stage. The dreamy synth pop title track from last year’s Bitter Reflection album felt like a soothing balm, while the clanking sounds on “This Conversation” evoked mid-period Depeche Mode. “Tremble,” off 2016’s Let Me Go, saw keyboardist Andrew trigger up-tempo darkwave strains as Alex sang expressively and roamed the stage.

All photos courtesy of Goldenvoice/Cruel World.

A version of my review originally appeared at rockcellarmagazine.com.