The poster from the originally announced 2020 festival
The pandemic-canceled Cruel World festival — a celebration of the ’80s alternative era with a huge bill topped by Morrissey, Bauhaus, Blondie and Devo — on Saturday teased a spring 2022 return, though it’s not known whether the original 2020 lineup will be intact.
The festival, set for The Grounds at Dignity Health Sports Park, the home of the L.A. Galaxy soccer team, originally was to have taken place May 2, 2020, before being moved to Sept. 12, 2020, and, ultimately, canceled by promoter Goldenvoice due to the “ongoing uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
On Saturday, the festival’s social media channels posted a 9-second clip set to Devo’s “Whip It” that shows a notebook emblazoned with the Cruel World logo and the phrases “spring 22,” “go forward” and “move ahead.” The post itself is headlined “Really real.” It’s not at all clear if Goldenvoice can bring back the original lineup, though Devo’s participation seems a safe bet.
The 2020 edition was also to have featured sets by Echo & The Bunnymen, The Psychedelic Furs, Violent Femmes, The Church, The English Beat, Public Image Ltd., Gary Numan, Marc Almond, She Wants Revenge, Blaqk Audio, TR/ST, Cold Cave, Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel, Berlin, Bad Manners, Missing Persons, London After Midnight, Drab Majesty, 45 Grave, Christian Death, The Meteors, Black Marble, Sextile, Softkill and The KVB.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Goodbye, Cruel World: Festival with Morrissey, Bauhaus, Blondie, Devo is canceled
- Cruel World festival moved to September with Morrissey, Bauhaus and more still on board
- Cruel World festival appears to be postponed indefinitely — but details are scarce
- Morrissey, Bauhaus, Blondie, Devo top lineup of Cruel World festival in Los Angeles
Will this site post when the tickets go on sale? I’m very excited about the return of this festival.