CRUEL WORLD FEST 2025: A STORMY CELEBRATION OF GOTH, GLAM, AND DARKWAVE DELIGHT
My first time covering a music festival couldn’t have been more fitting—or challenging. Cruel World brought its signature blend of new wave, post-punk, and goth rock to Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and the skies seemed to conspire with the atmosphere. Heavy gray clouds hung overhead, eventually giving way to rain, turning the entire day into something cinematic, wet, and unforgettable.
The mood was set from the moment I entered the gates. There was no easing in, no warm-up—it was go-time right away. Social Order kicked off my coverage, blasting their energy into the overcast air. Their sharp melodies and modern post-punk edge felt like a bridge between eras, offering a fresh spin while staying loyal to the genre's roots. The band’s chemistry was electric, and their fans—some discovering them for the first time—responded with open arms and dancing feet, rain be damned.
Before the headliners, I caught underground and international acts that helped define the festival’s eclectic personality. Actors brought a calm, brooding presence with tightly wound rhythms and a sleek, noir aesthetic. Provoker delivered a gritty, lo-fi energy that felt raw and immediate. At the same time, She Past Away cast a hypnotic spell with their Turkish darkwave, drawing in curious onlookers with ghostly vocals and pulsing basslines. Nation of Language offered shimmering synth-pop that sparkled even beneath gray skies, while Mareux leaned into sultry, slow-burning beats that felt like whispered secrets in the fog. And of course, the legendary Buzzcocks brought a jolt of punk energy to the day, proving that timeless angst still hits hard when delivered with heart and distortion.
As the rain intensified, so did the crowds. Ponchos, leather jackets, teased hair, eyeliner running—this was a goth and new wave communion under the clouds. People came to feel something, and despite the weather (or maybe because of it), they did.
She Wants Revenge pulsed with seductive darkness, drawing longtime fans into a familiar trance. The crowd swayed and clutched their lovers, mouthing lyrics like private spells. Shooting in the rain was tough—keeping gear dry, wiping lenses constantly, fighting fog—but the emotion coming off that stage made it worth the soaked shoes and cold hands.
Devo flipped the switch with their angular energy and satirical absurdity. Their set was a bright burst of color and chaos amidst the noir tones of the day. Even under hoods and umbrellas, fans waved their arms like antennae, fully engaged with the band’s hyperactive visual and sonic punch. It felt like watching a rebellious art experiment come alive, and photographing them in motion was like trying to capture lightning bolts.
New Order ended the night riding in on nostalgia and electronic melancholy waves. The lights shimmered off wet pavement, and the crowd collectively leaned into the familiar synths like a warm memory. Their performance was tight, heartfelt, and gorgeously layered, sending pulses through the damp evening air.
Photo: Kirby Gladestein
But the standout performance embedded in my memory was Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. I wasn't cleared to shoot his set, so I watched like everyone else, completely immersed. It wasn’t just music. It was storytelling, a sermon, therapy. Nick Cave bled emotion into every syllable. There were moments I forgot the rain, the cold, and everything except the intensity of the performance. It was a journey, leaving me haunted in the best way.
Photo: Kirby Gladestein
Cruel World may revel in the dark and dramatic, but it was filled with warmth between the lines. For my first festival coverage, it reminded me why I do this: to capture emotion, chaos, and connection—all in a single frame.
