22 June 2025 (gig)
25 June 2025
When the world is seemingly going to shit, it’s very tempting to hark back to yesteryear. ‘Forever Now’, the inaugural UK answer to the US’s Cruel World, let you do just that, with a line-up composed almost exclusively of new wave legends from the 80s. Whether the kids were left back home or dragged along for the ride, it was the perfect day for a generation of mohawk-clad punks to relive their prime.
It all took place at the Milton Keynes Bowl, a clay-pit turned amphitheater that is a fitting metaphor for the decade of deindustrialisation. It’s an ironic stage for some of the movement's most staunch critics, but its postmodern charm felt fittingly retro.
You could tell it was Forever Now’s first edition; people sat on discarded construction panels, and the second stage was effectively a dusty car park. The main area almost made up for it, though, with impeccable sound and plenty of surrounding green space to dance or get the camping chair out.
Johnny Marr was a highlight of the day — guitarist and co-songwriter of arguably the most influential indie band of the era. He has continued to enjoy success in his own right, and his set featured solo tracks like the catchy 'Easy Money.' However, it was Marr’s generosity in performing Smiths classics that made this show truly unforgettable. During hits like ‘How Soon Is Now?’ and ‘There Is a Light That Never Goes Out’ there wasn’t a dry eye in sight.
Unlike his former bandmate, Marr embraces the enduring appetite for this chapter of his career. 'Here’s something brand new,' he joked before launching into ‘This Charming Man’ — a cheeky nod to the fact that most of the crowd were there for one thing only. Never one to take himself too seriously, he also covered Iggy Pop’s ‘The Passenger’ and revealed his off-stage plans to indulge in some class A’s, living up to the 'Johnny Fucking Marr' slogan printed on the T-shirt of the guy next to me.
Billy Idol’s music felt slightly dated in comparison. Don’t get me wrong, classics like ‘White Wedding’ and ‘Rebel Yell’ were received with enthusiasm, but this brand of pop punk has aged less gracefully than other styles on the lineup. His new track, ‘Too Much Fun’, pokes fun at his addictive personality: “I looked into my tomb and walked away”. Though it tackles heavy themes with wit, it veers on reductive. Sober or not, Billy still knows how to throw a party, taking his shirt off not once, but four times, and hurling frisbees into the crowd.
The closing set by German pioneers Kraftwerk was, without question, the standout performance of the day. Formed in 1970 and widely regarded as the founders of electronic music, tracks like ‘Computer Love’ and ‘The Model’ still sound as futuristic as they must have decades ago. Their code-inflected visuals and robotic vocals captured the awe and optimism that surrounded technology at the close of the 20th century.
Experiencing it in 2025, an era where the novelty has more than faded, it was easy to remember why we fell in love with it in the first place. Yeah, AI is bad, and we are all addicted to our phones, but at least we have techno.