Many people in Vegas, and beyond, are getting quite excited for the first-ever Life is Beautiful event, which happens Saturday and Sunday in downtown. The ambitious endeavor will have two huge outdoor stages, several smaller ones, beer gardens, art installations, and enough food to choke an army of horses -- all set against the backdrop of hip and seedy downtown Vegas. Here are the three things this event promises to deliver on:
THE MUSIC: Duh, but sometimes music can be after-thought at festivals (White Party, cough cough), even music festivals. But with a stellar lineup like this, it's good to figure out who's on the bill and when they're playing (planning is necessary at a festival like this; downloading the app helps). Hometown boys The Killers will not phone it in. We always adore the quirky, gender-bending Janelle Monae. The Southern stylings of the Alabama Shakes and Kings of Leon is the perfect music to sip a beer to. The L.A. rocker girls of Haim are future divas in the making. Flamboyant Aussie electronica act Empire of the Sun (pictured) needs to be seen to be believed. There are over 85 artists performing; here's the full lineup.
THE ART: Seeing a Cirque show is one of the best things about a Vegas visit, but it can be pricey. Included with the $95 LIB admission, or $159 for both days, are vignettes from various Cirque shows, from O to Mystere to the thrilling One (the MJ crowd-pleaser). There will also be street art throughout the festival, with many permanent works on the sides of buildings created for the festival and staying for perpetuity (though that has a different definition in Vegas).
