The Cruel World Festival is an annual music festival held at the Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. It was founded in 2020, and is organized by Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents. The festival revolves around the new wave, post-punk, gothic rock and alternative rock genres. In the park, several stages continuously host live music.
Cruel World Festival showcases popular and established musical artists as well as reunited groups. The first edition on May 14 and 15, 2022, featured Morrissey, Bauhaus and Blondie among more than 25 artists. A second edition of the festival took place on May 20, 2023, featuring Siouxsie and Iggy Pop as headliners with a run of 20 other artists including Billy Idol, the Human League, Love and Rockets and Echo & the Bunnymen. The 2023 edition was ended early in the night due to nearby lightning strikes. Siouxsie's headlining set that evening was rescheduled for the following day, with Iggy Pop and Gary Numan also returning. Duran Duran headlined the third festival on May 11, 2024.
