Observers have noted that Coachella has been moving away from legacy artists, and the announcement by Goldenvoice of Cruel World Festival will appeal to folks who might feel the festival world is sliding past them.
The Cruel World Festival will be a one day affair on May 2 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson. More about the venue in a moment.
The lineup is a wealth of artists that received plenty of airplay during the heyday of KROQ-FM, with strong contenders even among the smaller fonts: Morrissey, Bauhaus, Blondie, Devo, The Psychedelic Furs, Echo & The Bunnymen, Violent Femmes, The Church, Public Image Ltd, Berlin, English Beat, Missing Persons, English Beat, Gary Numan and a clutch of others. It is gratifying that many of these artists have been maintaining a steady tour schedule in the decades since their heyday.
The venue for the festival is southern California’s home of world-class competition and training facilities for amateur, Olympic, collegiate and professional athletes. Managed by AEG Facilities, the $150 million, privately financed facility was developed by AEG on a 125-acre site on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) in Carson, California. Dignity Health Sports Park features a 27,167-seat stadium for soccer, football and other athletic competitions and outdoor concerts. Dignity Health Sports Park is home to Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy, the five-time MLS Cup Champions. In other words, this will be a well-appointed venue for folks skewing a bit older than those attending Coachella.
Back to the line-up. No promoter will ever be able to match what Goldenvoice achieved with Oldchella, er…Desert Trip. The six artists debuted in the 1960s and represented the cream of the current crop of touring artists. It is certainly the case that The Cruel World lineup collects many of the best surviving artists hitting their stride by the mid/late 70s. My four favorites? Blondie, Devo, The Church, Echo & The Bunnymen.
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