This past weekend (Sept 17-19) music’s finest descended to the bright lights of Las Vegas for Life is Beautiful. Nestled in the city’s Downtown, the festival has been shaking the streets of the neon capital since 2013, and returned this year after taking a pandemic-induced break last summer.
With four stages sprawling over multiple blocks, punters could witness everyone from upcoming Brooklyn DJ Yaeji and rising star Ashnikko to commanding victory laps from the likes of Megan Thee Stallion and Billie Eilish. The latter used her set to give a handful of tracks from recent album ‘Happier Than Ever’ their first ever live airings.
Here’s what went down at Life is Beautiful, in stunning pictures.
All photographs: Jenn Five/NME
Californian funk-popper Remi Wolf kicks things off
Along with bangers like ‘Slumber Party’ and ‘Daisy’, Ashnikko packs a pair of knee-pads for her most full-on choreo moments
Next up – Willow Smith rocks out
Glass Animals bring the peanut butter jelly vibes to Las Vegas
Megan Thee Stallion leads the charge on Friday night
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life – and Brooklyn’s Yaeji leaves Downtown feeling good on Saturday evening
Before long, the clock strikes Haim time
It’s the band’s first festival set in well over a year, and Este is delighted
Ludacris leads the party over at the Bacardi stage
Bills, bills, bills – pop-punkers Greenday headline Saturday night
Canadian duo Death From Above 1979 bring their dance-punk to Life is Beautiful on Sunday
Daddy’s home! St. Vincent serves up her bourbon-soaked new record for the Downtown stage
The career-spanning setlist also includes ‘Cheerleader’, ‘Digital Witness’ and live favourite ‘Marrow’
Young Thug joins Lorde, Kanye West and Kid Cudi in the small but flourishing club of ‘artists performing in glass boxes’ – and adds fire to the equation
The Atlantan rapper plays the likes of ‘Go Crazy’, ‘Ski’ and recent Drake collab ‘Way 2 Sexy’
Closing out the festival is left to none other than Billie Eilish
The singer brings hits galore – and some impressive pose-striking – to the Downtown Stage
It’s a special Sunday headline set, too, marking Eilish’s first festival show in over a year
To mark the occasion, a handful of ‘Happier Than Ever’ tracks get their first ever live airing…
… with ‘NDA’ ‘I Didn’t Change My Number’ and ‘Therefore I Am’ all getting their stage debut
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