Kraftwerk, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Death Cult, The Damned, Public Image Ltd, The The and more to play first Forever Now festival

(Image credit: Alicia Funderburk/Getty Images | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | Lorne Thomson/Redferns | Harry Herd/WireImage)

Kraftwerk, Billy Idol. Death Cult, The Damned, Public Image Ltd, The Jesus & Mary Chain, The The and more will play the inaugural Forever Now festival at The National Bowl, Milton Keynes on June 22.

They join Johnny Marr, The Psychedelic Furs, The Happy Mondays, Peter Murphy on the first list of artists announced for the event, which is being billed as a celebration of the "cultural phenomenon of the darker underbelly of creativity, from new wave to post-punk, psychedelia and alt-rock". Forever Now will be a sister event to the US festival Cruel World.

Promoters AEG say, "From the fashionably dark to the fiercely unconventional, all are welcome to revel in a day of unforgettable music and community. This is a festival where nostalgia meets discovery, where new and devoted fans unite, and where forever truly begins now."

Steve Homer, the CEO, of AEG Presents, says: "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.’’

The day will feature two main stages, with a third stage, The Echo Chamber, curated by music journalist John Robb, featuring interviews, panel discussions, and artist conversations.

Pre-sale tickets will be available on December 5, with a limited release priced from £85. General sale opens at 10am on December 6 via AXS and Ticketmaster. Interested parties can sign up for more information and pre-sale access here.

Artists

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.