Forever Now: In Review
On Sunday 25 June 2025, legendary venue the National bowl, Milton Keynes staged the one day post-punk festival, Forever Now. The inaugural sister event to the well-established US Cruel World Festival, held annually in California.
Amongst the Main Stage lineup were heavyweights Billy Idol and Johnny Marr, headlined by electronic innovators, Kraftwerk. The Other Stage played host to Happy Mondays, PiL and Jesus & Mary Chain, headlined by alt-rock legends Death Cult.
UK Decay opened the festival on the Main Stage. Hailing from nearby Luton town, they were pioneers of the Punk Gothique sub genre. They provide a crucial bridge between the dark glam bands on the bill such as Theatre of Hate and She Wants Revenge and the aggressive, raw, DIY of the anarcho-punks like PiL and John McKay. Amongst the set was the classic Sexual, from the band’s debut album, For Mad Men Only, Testament and the anthemic For My Country.
Over on the Other Stage was former Banshee, John McKay. After a 35 year hiatus, he returned with the live debut of John McKay’s Reactor, back in 2023. They performed Mckay’s solo material Black Five, Taken for Granted and Vigilante as well Siouxsie and The Banshee’s songs Mirage and The Staircase. A late start due to technical difficulties meant they were only just getting started when it came to the finale. A fun rendition of Hong Kong Garden that saw dead-ringer for Siouxsie, Jen Brown in her prime.
Formed in 2004, american darkwave duo, She Wants Revenge were perhaps the most juvenile band on the lineup. But with their influences heavily aligned with New Wave and Gothic Rock, they did not feel out of place amongst the more nostalgic bands of the festival. Their sound is a unique blend of the monotone guitar chugs heard in Bauhaus, the dark, melodic vocals of front-man Pete Murphy and Interpol with New order-esque synths. They finished their performance with the hit, Tear You Apart.
Over on the Main Stage, The Psychedelic Furs played a mix of their classic hits and album tracks, with a focus on songs from their early and mid-career albums. The set featured songs from the band’s aptly named Forever Now album, including the politically charged President Gas, The Ghost in You, and Mr. Jones alongside popular songs such as Pretty in Pink which was a highlight of the show and the crowd favourite Love My Way. The band swapped out their usual powerful and atmospheric set-closer Heaven with the upbeat India that ended the set on high.
Next up legend Johnny Marr delivered an energetic and captivating performance, once again demonstrating his ability to seamlessly blend his solo material with iconic Smith’s tracks. The set included solo works Armatopia and Easy Money as well as fan favourites Charming Man, Panic and There’s a Light That Never Goes Out. The festival gods aligned the stars perfectly as Marr was able to join The The later on The Other stage to perform The Beat(en) Generation and Dogs of Lust. The first time Marr had been on stage with his former band mates since 1990.
After a brief appearance with Youngblud at Bludfest the day before, punk icon Billy Idol took to the bowl stage next, for the second time in as many days. Just as his hit Too Much Fun suggests his performance was exactly that. The set included a solo rendition of newer material 77, featuring Avril Lavigne, before ending with the iconic Rebel Yell and White Wedding. ‘The It’s a Nice Day to Tour Again’ tour, supported by Joan Jett and The Black Hearts continues with an arena date at wembley stadium before European dates throughout June.
It was back to the dustbowl of The Other stage to catch the tail end of The Damned, performing the Black Album. They brought their performance to a strong close with staples New Rose and Neat Neat Neat. The date was a teaser for their upcoming 50th Anniversary bash to be held at Wembley Arena in April 2026.
Issues with the power and its impact on artists throughout the day meant Jesus & The Mary Chain were severely delayed. Their set was cut heartbreakingly short and they struggled to showcase their feedback-drenched brilliance. Simone from Primal Scream joined the band for songs Venal Joy, Sometimes Always and Just Like Honey. Their set also included classic tracks April Skies and Some Candy Talking.
Headlining the main stage were instigators of Electronic Music, Kraftwerk, with a masterpiece of stunning visuals that became increasingly impactful with the setting sun. A particular highlight was classic track Spacelab, accompanied by a cleverly orchestrated animation that saw a flying saucer pinpoint the National Bowl from outer space and slowly descend, featuring real-time footage of the festival below. The set was a curated selection of their classic hits including The Man-Machine, Autobahn, The Model, Radioactivity and Tour de France.