Beloved Las Vegas festival Life Is Beautiful combines music, art, and collaboration in a way that inspires the mind and brings us together.
Since its inception in 2013, Life Is Beautiful has taken over Downtown Las Vegas for three days to bring a blend of music, art, comedy, and more unique experiences for those in attendance. Each year has proven to be better than the last, but there was something extra special about their more recent edition. So much of the festival seemed familiar, yet it was different as well, and after a year without this fantastic experience due to the pandemic, my excitement to return was at an all-time high.
While the entrances were normal per past editions, the first difference was an additional step this year of verifying your vaccination record or a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to the festival. CLEAR agents walked around checking vaccination records through their app and gave out red wristbands to serve as a visual indication of having completed the health check. After getting our tickets scanned the rest of security was quick and easy as well, with a metal detector-like device giving everyone who entered a quick scan as opposed to lengthy bag checks and pat-downs.
Something that wasn’t different was the typical heat in Las Vegas. All three days saw temperatures in the low to mid 90′, and as usual, the dry desert heat required a bit of an adjustment and special attention to staying hydrated. Luckily, the festival allowed for Camelbaks to be brought in, and they also provided a cooling station with huge fans and misters for anyone looking to escape the heat. The added bonus of a silent disco was a welcome surprise as well, giving those who wanted to keep dancing a place to stay cool.
Every year there’s something new or another part of the festival to discover.
Fergusuns was a favorite find of the weekend. Featuring local artists and collectives, this hole-in-the-wall area was located right outside of a coffee shop by the East Gate with a sculpture of twisted semi-trucks marking the entrance. All weekend long the DJs there were throwing down plenty of house and techno as the aroma of coffee wafted through the air. Above the coffee shop and all along the outside were actual shops selling art, jewelry, and various types of clothing.
Across from Fergusuns was the Alley Market, which was a deceptively large area covered in artificial turf that hosted a variety of shops could be found here selling custom clothes, body soaps and lotions, and even a few CBD products. Between the booths were a few fans and many of the market sections were covered offering some more respite from the heat.
A couple of years ago I was introduced to the House of Yes and was stoked to see them return to Life Is Beautiful this year. They were located in a small area decorated in vibrant rainbow colors and featured drag queens, art performances, and a whole Pride Parade on Saturday. It’s easy to lose track of time here but you always leave with a bigger smile than when you arrived.
Weedmaps sponsored a beautiful art piece to raise awareness to the fact that while cannabis continues to be legalized there are many minorities disproportionately hurt by cannabis laws.
Laurie Shapiro, an LA-based psychedelic artist, was commissioned to create the art installation entitled, “Flowers Are Not A Crime” which was inspired by a tagline on the Weedmaps app. We walked around her exhibit as she explained that the walls of the piece were made of two pieces of vinyl with paint pressed between them.
She had made art like this before but this was the largest piece yet and spent more than a month living near a grow operation to fully understand the life cycle of a cannabis plant. Shapiro incorporated those stages into her art, as each colorful division looked like a biology slide where the cells were made up of different cannabis life stages. Inside the church-like structure hung three small lamps covered in similar art to the walls.
During my time spent there, Laurie and I talked about the many people, mostly minorities, that are still in jail or have a felony on their record for cannabis crimes, many of which would not violate the law today. There are many all over the country profiting off the legalization of weed and they need to come together and demand solutions from the system they benefit from. She wanted the space to be a place where people could reflect and relax, and her vision definitely came to fruition.
The music brought an energy that was unparalleled, and being surrounded by so many smiling faces was a wonderful feeling
The lineup had so many artists that have been on my wish list for years and quite a few I didn’t know. We started the first day with Hook ‘n Sling, Shiba San, and Lost Frequencies. The Freemont stage was a long tunnel with an LED platform at the front. Equipped with pyrotechnics, sparklers, and smoke machines the stage was a constant party. Whether it was Clozee’s bassy wubs or San Holo’s melodic guitar solo this stage was definitely where I spent most of my time.
While walking between stages I heard Ashnikko perform “Working Bitch” and while leaving the festival I walked past Megan Thee Stallion just in time to hear “WAP” and “Thot Shit” – talk about some good timing. During Dillon Francis‘ set we stayed in the crowd up until he played “Coming Over” and then arrived at All Time Low in time to hear “Once in a Lifetime.” We stayed until the end of that set singing along with every track. Of course, their encore was “Dear Maria, Count Me In,” and already being on cloud nine, I realized that we still had Green Day to catch as well.
Green Day’s performance was so much better than I expected, and it was possibly the last time I’ll ever see them.
From start to finish Green Day absolutely rocked the Downtown Stage. Their dedicated fans could be heard in all directions and I would say there were more people singing than were not. Their show included hanging pyrotechnics creating a beautiful explosion of fire during songs like “American Idiot” and “Know Your Enemy.” They closed with the full version of “Jesus of Suburbia” and said that this was their final tour. The camaraderie I felt just bouncing around and faux moshing with random strangers was simply magical.
Four sets that also really blew me away at Life Is Beautiful were EVAN GIIA, Joel Corry, Keys N Krates, and Gorgon City.
I had never seen either EVAN GIIA or Joel Corry live but both knocked their sets out of the park. EVAN GIIA sang live and brought an energy that was infectious. She said this had been her biggest crowd and you could just feel the genuine nature of her statement. Joel Corry only had one song I knew so I was pleasantly surprised at how seamlessly he was able to layer songs. His set was a blend of different house styles to make for a perfect dance set during the weekend.
None of us had seen Keys N Krates in more than two years and the first thing they said when they came out was that they hadn’t performed in that same time. They were a whole vibe from the minute that they came out and the crowd seemed to move in sync with each other. They played a lot of their old tracks mixed in with tracks they’ve been working on and to cap it off, the visual mapping was very cool switching between high-definition cameras and 3D renderings of themselves.
We closed out the epic weekend of music with a live set from Gorgon City. I had missed every opportunity to see them when they came through California so catching them here was a dream come true. They played every track I wanted to hear and they brought out DRAMA to sing “You’ve Done Enough” to truly take it to the next level. If you get a chance to catch them on their Olympia tour, please make sure to do so.
Life is Beautiful gets more beautiful every year and this year was no exception.
The final day of Life Is Beautiful came and went too quickly. After three days of music, dancing, art, and so much more, I would have been down for a fourth. The interactive art, hidden areas, and new designs keep the festival fresh and exciting for long-time attendees and new ones alike. I also had some incredible moments with friends both new and old alike, which reminded me of how much festivals help take us out of our comfort zones and welcome others with open arms.
In terms of festival checklists, Life is Beautiful really marked every box. It’s a special experience and you can expect me to return to Downtown Las Vegas again next year to see what new experiences they have in store!
