Cruel World Festival faces evacuation during Iggy Pop’s Saturday night set due to severe weather conditions. The disappointed shouts of thousands of fans were no match to the lightning storm that began about 15 minutes into Pop’s 8:45 PM performance, with fans being ushered out of the venue around 9.

In the middle of Pop singing “The Passenger”, the singer’s microphone was cut and was quickly urged by the stage crew that everyone needed to evacuate immediately. Pop then told the audience, “OK, we have lightning, we need to evacuate the stage I’m told.” 

Cruel World fest cancelled 5 songs into the Human League due to possible lightning strikes. No Siouxsie for me, but better that she didn’t get fried I suppose. Still got to see ABC, Love & Rockets, Boy Harsher, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Billy Idol ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/1w3yfIQdJm

— Meni (@MeniTsirbas) May 21, 2023

The Pasadena Fire Department arrived at the scene due to the unsafe conditions with fans shouting for refunds in the midst of the chaos.

Many of the fans’ disappointment came from the cancellation of the festival’s headliner, Siouxsie Sioux, due to this being the singer’s first U.S performance in 15 years. In response to the cancellation, disappointed fan, Steffine Aguirre, told San Bernardino Sun, “I’ve seen Siouxsie many times, and she comes out when Morrissey doesn’t even show up”. Some fans even refused to leave the venue, expecting Siouxsie to still show up for the fans anticipating her long-awaited performance.

 Despite Saturday’s let down, the festival is expected to resume on Sunday and fans are promised their money’s worth with the doors set to re-open at 5 PM, May 21st.