Kraftwerk, Johnny Marr Confirmed For Inaugural ‘Forever Now’ Festival
The first wave of artists confirmed for the newly-launched Forever Now Festival have been confirmed, with Kraftwerk, Johnny Marr, The The, Death Cult and more leading the way. Find out more below.
The new festival will run across just one day and comes as a sister event of the US Cruel World festival.
Taking place at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, the inaugural Forever Now festival will showcase alternative music, fashion and literature, and is set to take place on June 22. Tickets will go on pre-sale on December 5, with a limited first release ticket available from £85. General sale will begin at 10am on December 6. Visit the event’s official website for further information.
The launch was first teased several days ago, with the organisers promising an event that explores “the darker underbelly of creativity, from new wave to post-punk, psychedelia and alt-rock”.
Now, the first wave of artists has been confirmed, with German electronic innovators Kraftwerk leading the stacked line-up. The gig for them marks one of their first performances to be announced for 2025 and comes after a run of shows this summer, including a stop at Fuji Rock Festival.
Joining them are post-punk icons, The The, who made an acclaimed comeback this year with Ensoulment – their first album in 25 years. They also went on to announce a run of live shows, in which they played a number of tracks for the first time in three decades.
Punk icon Billy Idol has also been confirmed, and is set to bring hits like White Wedding and Rebel Yell to the stage. Announcing the news, he said: “Forever is Now! Looking forward to what will unquestionably be an incredible day of music in Milton Keynes!”
Death Cult – the band which would go on to become The Cult – join the bill too, following on from a run of 2023 anniversary shows in the UK. Elsewhere, Johnny Marr, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Happy Mondays, The Damned, Public Image Ltd, The Psychedelic Furs and more complete the line-up.
Announcing the Forever Now line-up, Steve Homer, CEO of AEG Presents, said: “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.’’