The UK is to get a major new alt. culture festival with the launch next year of Forever Now, a sister event to the popular US festival Cruel World.
The one day festival will be staged at the National Bowl, Milton Keynes on June 22, 2025.
The first artists announcement for the event - which is being teased as a celebration of the "cultural phenomenon of the darker underbelly of creativity, from new wave to post-punk, psychedelia and alt-rock" - will be made on Monday, December 2.
Launched in 2020 in California, Cruel World has hosted performances by artists such as Blondie, Echo & The Bunnymen, Bauhaus, Siouxsie, PiL, Iggy Pop, Soft Cell, The Mission, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Gang of Four and more. The 2025 event, scheduled to take on place May 17 in Pasadena, California, is being co-headlined by New Order and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, with Devo, OMD, Death Cult, Madness and Garbage also on the bill.
In somewhat breathless prose, a statement for the new festival reads: 'Forever Now isn’t just an event; it’s a movement—an electrifying gathering for those who thrive on individuality and connection. From the fashionably dark to the fiercely unconventional, all are welcome to revel in a day of unforgettable music and community. This is a festival where nostalgia meets discovery, where new and devoted fans unite, and where forever truly begins now.'
Steve Homer, the CEO, of AEG Presents, says: "We are delighted to present a festival that reflects the rich heritage of artists in the alternative music field. The day will feature some amazing artists, unique sets, and collaborations not seen on a UK stage before. As the birthplace of alt counterculture, the UK is the perfect home for a festival to pay homage to alternative creative artistry.’’
Interested parties can sign up for more information and pre-sale access here. The general on-sale for tickets will be 10am on December 6.
