Life is Beautiful
One of America’s hottest new festivals, Life is Beautiful, will return to downtown Las Vegas, September 21-23. Rehan Choudhry founded the festival in 2013 as a place where music, art, food, and ideas intersect to fuel creativity and positivity.
In 2016, Pollstar deemed Life is Beautiful “Festival of the Year” in only its fourth year of operation. Last year, tickets sold out in one day, marking the largest attendance the festival has ever seen with well over 140,000 attendees.
This particular festival is special for many reasons. While your typical festival is at a venue or in the middle of nowhere, Life is Beautiful takes over approximately 18 blocks of downtown Las Vegas and uses its urban setting to its creative advantage. Additionally, it’s “all ages”, so you’ll see a lot more families and a more diverse set of attendees.
Along with the mixed-genre lineup, attendees can experience an environment that is different from any other festival. You’ll meet people from all walks of life with all kinds of different interests, temperaments, and “vibes”. The crowd is truly a melting pot of culture lovers that will make anyone feel right at home.
Lineup
Life is Beautiful is known for its eclectic lineups which feature artists from every major genre without favoring any. This year’s headliners include R&B sensation The Weeknd, indie rock juggernauts Arcade Fire and Florence + The Machine, trap phenomenon Travis Scott, and electronic heavyweights DJ Snake and ODESZA.
Of course, if you’re reading this you’re probably wondering about the electronic acts that will be at the festival. Well never fear, because there’s plenty to choose from. All of the electronic artists at this year’s Life is Beautiful are DJ Snake, ODESZA, Justice, RL Grime, Alison Wonderland, Galantis, Cashmere Cat, WHAT SO NOT, Gramatik, Flight Facilities, SOFI TUKKER, Lauv, 3LAU, Lane 8, DVBBS, The Presets, Party Favor, Sam Feldt, ELOHIM, Elderbrook, Chet Porter, graves, and Young Bombs.
If you’re looking for artists who add some electronic flavor to their music but aren’t quite EDM, you can also check out Two Feet, Brasstracks, and Robert DeLong.
Headliners
DJ Snake
DJ Snake really needs no introduction. The massive Grammy-nominated French producer has been hammering out radio hit after hit since his 2013 remix of “Turn Down for What”. He’s collaborated with every major DJ from Diplo to Skrillex and is currently part of the Pardon My French collective with fellow French DJs Tchami, Mercer, and Malaa.
Although he hasn’t released a new album or EP since his 2016 album, Encore, he has just come off a huge Asia tour and is going to be a mainstay at festivals this season. He has, however, released three singles this year, including “Magenta Riddim” (a reggaeton spring break anthem), “Gassed Up” (a fast and unique trap track featuring JAUZ), and “Made In China” (a remix of a song by Chinese hip-hop artists the Higher Brothers). In March 2018, Billboard ranked him #9 on Billboard Dance 100 Artists of 2018.
ODESZA
Iconic chillstep duo ODESZA will be bringing their show-stopping production and recently released music to Life is Beautiful this year. ODESZA has been touring nonstop since the release of their sophomore album A Moment Apart, and their name can be found at the top of almost every major music festival in the world this year.
The multiple Grammy-nominated producers are known for their emotional, cinematic music and dazzling live performances which can include everything from drones to drumlines. They also own a label, Foreign Family Collective, which has signed several other successful chillstep/future bass acts, such as Jai Wolf, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Big Wild, and fellow LiB performer Chet Porter.
Justice
The legendary electronic act Justice is back and hitting the worldwide festival circuit this year. Justice rose to fame in the mid-2000’s with their critically acclaimed debut album, †, which included the culturally ubiquitous song “D.A.N.C.E.”.
Since then, the electro house/nu-disco duo has released two albums and remains massively popular in France where they originated. They spent the better part of last year touring for their 2016 album Woman and released only one new song, “Pleasure (Live)” in 2017. Their album Woman Worldwide, which will be a collection of studio versions of their live catalog, is set to arrive on August 24.
Others to Watch
SOFI TUKKER
Best friends Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern make up the infectious house/jungle-pop act that is SOFI TUKKER. The past year has been major for the rapidly rising duo as they’ve opened for ODESZA, embarked on a headlining tour, and dropped their debut album Treehouse, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Album chart.
They’re best known for their hit “Best Friend” which was featured on Apple’s first commercial for the iPhone X, as well as their 2016 single “Drinkee” which was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the Grammy’s. SOFI TUKKER always graces the stage with live instruments, high energy, and happy vibes, so don’t forget your dancing shoes. Oh, and they love singing in Portuguese, so if you have a translator, bring that too.
Elderbrook
Elderbrook is a British producer who oozes talent and potential. He’s a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who incorporates genres like hip-hop, soul, and rock into his laidback, house-inspired beats. Elderbrook is most well known for his 2017 single “Cola” with CamelPhat which reached number one on the Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart and garnered him a 2018 Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording.
With a recently released EP and a North American headlining tour under his belt, Elderbrook is hitting the festival circuit this summer as well as supporting RÜFÜS DU SOL on their tour. This rising star is sure to have you bouncing and singing along to his live set.
Flight Facilities
Flight Facilities is one of those acts that you don’t know you already know. Their 2010 laidback indie dance single “Crave You” was put into the spotlight when Adventure Club remixed it and made it into a dubstep anthem. Unfortunately, the rest of their 2014 debut album Down to Earth didn’t receive the same amount of attention outside of Australia where it was nominated for a series of ARIA Music Awards and certified gold.
Recently, the aviation-themed band has taken more of an indie pop approach with their singles “Stranded (ft. Broods, Reggie Watts, and Saro)” and “Need You (ft. NÏKA)”, the latter of which has been gaining significant attention. It’s clear that a new album is on the horizon for Flight Facilities, and there’s no doubt they’ll perform some new tracks in Las Vegas. It might be time to catch on to what Australia’s been raving about for years.
Features
In-and-Out Policy
One unique feature about Life is Beautiful might seem trivial, but can be a monumental life-saver: it has an in and out policy. GA ticket holders can enter and exit the festival up to three times a day until 9 p.m. VIP ticket holders will have unlimited reentries.
So what does this mean for you? It means you never have to worry about not being able to take a break from all the sights, sounds, and heat. If you want to see more of what the surrounding downtown area has in store, or if need to go back to your accommodation for a shower, power nap, or a snack, you can do just that without worrying about missing too much.
Art
Art is a huge aspect of Life is Beautiful. It’s not uncommon for other festivals to include art installations on their grounds, but Life is Beautiful always brings more than a few funky statues. Since the festival takes places in the middle of downtown, buildings are redesigned and repurposed to fit the festival environment. Local artists paint murals on the walls, buildings transform into playgrounds, and lobbies become mini art museums.
Last year, the festival partnered with Meow Wolf who turned the rooms of an abandoned motel into bizarre, psychedelic worlds. The Container Park is also a mainstay at the festival. There, you can walk through shipping containers which have been remade into shops, restaurants, and chill out areas. Perhaps you can even catch a breakdancing competition from professional and amateur b-boys from all across the country.
Comedy
2018 will be the third year incorporating comedy into the festival. In the past, festival producers made a point to invite a series of emerging and local comedians. The comics would then perform short stand up sets in the evening at one of the onsite bars. If you’re looking to escape the craziness of the outdoors and relax with a beer, why not have a laugh too?
Ideas
Every year, Life is Beautiful invites speakers from a range of industries and backgrounds to give speeches. Last year, Bill Nye gave a lecture on environmentalism and sustainability, while singer Rachel Platten spoke about female empowerment. Including such speakers adds to the uniqueness of the festival and is part of what draws such a diverse crowd. You never know what you might learn or see at these talks, so they might be worth checking out.
Culinary
Food is not always a crucial aspect of a music festival. There might be a few food trucks or stalls to keep you going throughout the day, but at Life is Beautiful, food is an essential part of the experience. The festival brings in local restaurants as well as vendors and trucks from established eateries outside of Nevada. The culinary lineup includes all types of food and cuisine, from seafood to Korean BBQ to rolled ice cream. VIPs even get to experience culinary pop-ups which include tastings and seminars. Either way, you’ll be treated to the world’s finest festival food.
There’s always something see and something to do at Life is Beautiful, so you’ll never be short of amazed.
Tickets
General Admission
General 3-day tickets went on sale April 26 at 10 a.m. Luckily, there are still some tickets left. You can grab yours for $295 + fees & taxes.
There are also various hotel packages which include tickets, a three-night stay at one of four downtown hotels, a poster, and free swag. You can learn more about the available packages here.
VIP
For those of you who want a little more exclusivity and comfort, VIP tickets are also available. The VIP experience includes express entry points, unlimited re-entry, private restrooms, exclusive food vendors and cocktails, charging stations, and shaded lounge areas near the Downtown and Ambassador stages. Tickets are currently $655.00 + fees & taxes.
V+VIP
If you want a little extra special access above the VIP experience, there’s the V+VIP experience. With this ticket, you get complimentary drinks, an elevated viewing area of the downtown stage, mixology and culinary pop-ups, and restroom attendants. Tickets for this experience go for $1,195.00 + fees & taxes
ALL-IN
A Vegas festival wouldn’t be complete without a Vegas-style VIP package. With the ALL-IN ticket, you enjoy all of the benefits of the lower tier tickets in addition to:
- Downtown and Ambassador exclusive stage viewing
- Air-conditioned Artist Hospitality Lounge with culinary- tasting hour and complimentary drinks
- Two meal vouchers per day to sample any of the food vendors
- ALL-IN weekend host available 24/7 to help with every request
- Private ALL-IN on-site festival brunch
- Access to Downtown Grand daytime pool parties
ALL-IN tickets start at $2,495.00 + fees & taxes
Single Day Tickets
Single day tickets will go on sale on Thursday, May 16 at 10AM PST.
Prices will not differ depending on the day:
GA | $135 + fees & taxes
VIP | $295 + fees & taxes
V+VIP | $495 + fees & taxes
Connect With Life Is Beautiful
Lastly, check out Life Is Beautiful coverage and other events at OneEDM.
