Siouxsie, Iggy 'Cruel World' Sets Postponed By Shock Storms

Unexpected severe weather and the resultant nearby lightning strikes forced Iggy Pop and Siouxsie Sioux to postpone their Saturday sets at the 80s-heavy Cruel World festival at the Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Iggy Pop & The Losers Perform At The Hollywood Palladium on April 27, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harmony Gerber/Getty Images)

Pop was seven songs into his performance, scheduled to be the penultimate of the event before Sioux’s headlining turn, set to be her first performance in North America since 2008 (and her only one of 2023).

But thunderstorms popped up across the San Gabriel Valley through the weekend and a Saturday rumbler, replete with lightning, was enough to bring Pop off-stage and keep Sioux in the wings, while forcing the evacuation of thousands of showgoers.

“At the direction of Pasadena Fire Department, the venue was evacuated due to unsafe weather conditions and lightning strikes in the area, verified by the National Weather Service,” a message posted to the festival’s Instagram page read, in part.

Meltdown Festival 2013 Siouxsie Performs At Royal Festival Hall — Siouxsie Sioux performs on stage at Meltdown Festival 2013 at the Royal Festival Hall on June 15, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Burak Cingi/Redferns via Getty Images)

Nevertheless, Cruel World — one of Goldenvoice’s numerous boutique genre-targeted one-dayers that pepper the calendar in the spring and summer in the Rose City — did its best to make things right.

Saturday ticketholders were re-admitted to the festival grounds Sunday, where Pop played again and Sioux dazzled with an extended set.