Life Is Beautiful 2018 Preview

Of course Las Vegas has a wide, varied festival, with everything from music to comedy to food & more: Life Is Beautiful, which happens Friday-Sunday, September 21st-23rd:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st

Downtown Stage The Weeknd, 11:30 PM Headlining Friday at Life Is Beautiful is Toronto’s hip-hop phenom The Weekend (QRO photos at a festival). He comes back over to Las Vegas (QRO photos at a festival) for his second Life Is Beautiful after 2016’s year’s Starboy, and after winning Grammys and even appearing on Saturday Night Live (where yes, they did ‘The Weeknd Update’…).
Justice, 9:30 PM One of the biggest breakouts in the dance-rock craze of last decade has been France’s Justice (QRO photos at a festival), who followed up smash 2007 debut † with 2011’s Audio, Video, Disco and 2016’s Woman, as well as expanding their live show (QRO photos), including at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
CHVRCHES, 7:55 PM Scottish electro-pop outfit CHVRCHES (QRO live review) have gotten very big very fast (QRO photos at a festival), before & after the release of debut full-length The Bones of What You Believe (QRO review) – but are fronted by the tiny Lauren Mayberry (QRO photos at a festival) and some giant lights. They successfully followed up Bones with 2015’s Every Open Eye (QRO review), and have Love Is Dead (QRO review) out this year, and now come to Life Is Beautiful.
Also: French Montana, 6:15 PM Poolside, 4:35 PM – QRO photos at a festival Rayne Lenae, 3:05 PM
BACARDI #SoundOfRum Stage Death Cab for Cutie, 11:00 PM When Pacific Northwest alternative favorite Death Cab for Cutie (QRO photos at a festival) left long-time indie imprint Barsuk for major Label Atlantic in 2005 with Plans, fans thought the sky might be falling. But instead, Death Cab (QRO photos) has released some of their best records to-date, following up Plans in 2010 with the excellent Narrow Stairs (QRO review), 2011’s Codes and Keys (QRO review), 2015’s Kintsugi (QRO review), and now Thank You for Today (QRO review). Singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard may have gone from dork to looking like a Cascadian beefcake (QRO photos at a festival) – he was married to Zooey Deschanel of She & Him/The New Girl (meanwhile, his side project, The Postal Service, went on a reunion tour– QRO photos – behind the tenth anniversary deluxe edition of the one-and-only album, Give Up – QRO deluxe edition review), and guitarist Chris Walla may have left for solo projects (QRO solo album review), with over a decade’s worth of strong material (QRO photos), their well is deep for a wide performance (QRO photos at a festival).
The Neighbourhood, 9:50 PM Cali electro indie-pop outfit The Neighbourhood (QRO live review) debuted already on the majors after hit YouTube single “Sweater Weather” (QRO review), with 2013’s I Love You on Columbia, and have been winning fans (QRO photos at a festival) even outside of their ‘hood (QRO photos abroad), with 2015’s Wiped Out! and this year’s The Neighbourhood.
Sylvan Esso, 8:30 PM Durham, North Carolina indie-pop duo Sylvan Esso (QRO photos outdoors) have moved up very fast (QRO photos at a festival) since the release in 2014 of their eponymous debut full-length, with well-titled follow-up What Now (QRO review) out last fall. Never stop starting!
Robert DeLong, 7:10 PM Nicely mixing between his indie-rock background and his moombahton love, Robert DeLong (QRO photos at a festival) will have all the kids dancing at Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival).
Two Feet, 6:50 PM Out of a jazz background, Zachary William Dess became electronic artist Two Feet.
Sir Sly, 4:30 PM Not a rapper but an indie-rock trio, Sir Sly (QRO photos at a festival) came out of The Hype Machine blog to success (including songs used in movies, video games, and a Cadillac ad). Also: Wallows, 3:15 PM
Huntridge Stage Daniel Caesar, 10:40 PM Canadian R&B/soul singer Daniel Caesar (QRO photos at a festival) heads to Life Is Beautiful after last year’s debut full-length, Freudian.
Denzel Curry, 8:45 PM Florida’s Denzel Curry (QRO photos) first got attention from SpaceGhostPurrp, and comes to Life Is Beautiful behind this year’s Ta13oo.
Amy Shark, 7:10 PM Gold Coast’s Amy Shark snared a hit with her 2016 indie-pop single “Adore” and debut album Love Monster.
HINDS, 5:25 PM From all the way over in Madrid, female foursome HINDS (QRO photos at a festival) have been charming folks on both sides of the Atlantic with their cheery, if not very original, garage-rock. Also: Mike Xavier, 3:50 PM
Freemont Stage RL Grime, 11:55 PM Henry Steinway, a.k.a. RL Grime (QRO photos at a festival), is a Los Angeles producer of hip-hop, trap, bass, and yes, grime.
What So Not, 10:45 PM Originally a duo with Flume, Australian Emoh Instead’s What So Not has become big in its own right with songs such as “Gemini” (featuring George Maple), “Jaguar”, “High You Are” and “Tell Me” (with RL Grime, who’s playing right after – see just above). They play their second Life Is Beautiful.
DVBBS, 9:45 PM DVBBS is Canadians Chris Chronics & Alex Andre (or brothers van de Hoof) – and yes, they do dub music.
The Presets, 8:40 PM A great dance act from Down Under is The Presets (QRO spotlight on). The duo (QRO interview) first got attention with their sounds on 2005 debut Beams, but broke through into international attention with 2008’s Apocalypso (QRO review). They (QRO live review) come to Life Is Beautiful behind 2012’s follow-up, Pacifica (QRO review) and this year’s Hi Viz.
Lane 8, 7:20 PM Deep House Denver DJ Daniel Goldstein is Lane 8.
Elohim, 6:20 PM Los Angeles electro-pop songstress Elohim comes to Life Is Beautiful behind her self-titled debut, out this year. Also: ELDERBROOK, 5:05 PM Young Bombs, 3:55 PM
Toyota Music Den Poolside (DJ set), 7:00 PM The Presets (DJ set), 6:00 PM Mike Xavier, 5:00 PM Robert DeLong (DJ set), 4:00 PM HINDS, 3:00 PM
Venue Vegas Natasha Leggero, 8:15 PM Rory Scovel & Jimmy O. Yang, 7:00 PM Natasha Leggero, 5:45 PM Jimmy O. Yang & Rory Scovel, 4:30 PM Choir! Choir! Choir!, 3:00 PM

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd

Downtown Stage Florence & The Machine, 11:10 PM Known for her yearning vocals and crooning howls (QRO photos), Florence & The Machine (QRO live review) have garnered the reputation of the world’s most renowned indie pop artists (QRO photos). However, their singles “Shake It Out” and “You’ve Got The Love” from 2011’s Ceremonials (QRO review) were only a short glimpse of her haunting soundscape (QRO photos), seen in follow-up How Big How Blue How Beautiful (QRO review). The group (QRO live review) will come to Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival) after this year’s release of High As Hope (QRO review).
N.E.R.D., 9:20 PM Hip-hop trio No-one Ever Really Dies, a.k.a. N.E.R.D., formed in 1999 between Shay Haley, Chad Hugo, and Pharrell Williams, with hit records like 2004’s Fly or Die and 2008’s Seeing Sounds. They went on hiatus in 2010, various solo projects (most notably Williams, with hits like the Oscar-nominated “Happy”), but reunited for last December’s No One Ever Really Dies, and now hit Life Is Beautiful.
Foster the People, 7:35 PM Los Angeles’ Foster the People (QRO photos at a festival) came out of nowhere in 2010 with viral hit “Pumped Up Kicks”, followed that up with the Top Ten debut Torches (QRO review). Their listener- and dancer-friendly electronic sounds (QRO photos at a festival) aren’t exactly revelatory, but are sure to set the crowd on fire (QRO live review). They come to Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival) for a third time, with a big show (QRO photos at a festival) behind 2014’s Supermodel (QRO review) and last year’s Sacred Hearts Club.
Cold War Kids, 6:00 PM After a string of EPs, Fullerton, California’s Cold War Kids (QRO photos) blew up in 2006 with their full-length debut, Robbers & Cowards. While 2008’s Loyalty to Loyalty (QRO review) suffered something of a sophomore slump, 2011’s Mine Is Yours (QRO review) 2013’s Miss Lonelyhearts (QRO review), 2014’s Hold My Home (QRO review), and last year’s L.A. Divine (QRO review) lifted things somewhat, and their live show (QRO live review) is still electric, especially outside (QRO live review outdoors) or at festivals (QRO photos at a festival), as they still ring with singles (QRO photos), from the more recent “Love Is Mystical” and “Audience” (QRO video) to their break-outs “We Used To Vacation”, “Hospital Beds” (QRO video), and “Hang Me Out To Dry” (QRO video).
AJR, 4:25 PM Adam, Jack, and Ryan form the Manhattan DIY indie-pop trio AJR.
Welshly Arms, 3:00 PM Cleveland’s blues-rock outfit Welshly Arms (QRO photos at a festival) come to Life Is Beautiful behind last year’s hit song “Legendary” (which has been used in promos of everything from WWE to Cleveland Indians to Sense8).
BACARDI #SoundOfRum Stage Travis Scott, 11:45 PM Texan rapper Travis Scott has succeeded in everything from producing (for GOOD Music’s Very GOOD Beats) to mixtapes to studio albums to team-ups (with Quavo as Huncho Jack) – not to mention being Kylie Jenner’s man. He comes to play Life Is Beautiful after the release of his highly anticipated AstroWorld, so look for new material like recent single “Watch”, which featured Kanye West and Lil Uzi Vert.
Miguel, 10:15 PM Miguel Jontel Pimental (QRO photos at a festival) rose from his 2010 underperforming sleeper hit debut All I Want Is You and its label’s dissolution to acclaim with 2012’s Kaleidoscope Dream and last year’s Wildheart, incorporating R&B, funk, hip-hop, rock (QRO photos), and more like a latter-day Prince.
St. Vincent, 8:55 PM After the one-and-only Annie Clark (QRO interview) made 2007 her break-out year, both as part of The Polyphonic Spree on The Fragile Army (QRO review) and with her own debut as St. Vincent (QRO photos), Marry Me (QRO review), she followed that up with even-better years (QRO spotlight on), gracing festivals (QRO photos at a festival), charming and surprising crowds with winning humor live (QRO live review), and bringing a stable of new songs (QRO live review). Those new songs, like “Laughing With a Mouth of Blood” (QRO video) and “Actor Out of Work” (QRO video) formed into 2009’s Actor (QRO review), which vaunted her into the even bigger time (QRO photos at a festival), including playing Lincoln Center (QRO live review) and other storied concert halls (QRO photos at a festival) & venues (QRO photos at Royal Albert Hall). Admittedly, 2011’s Strange Mercy (QRO review) wasn’t quite as good, but then she teamed up with the one-and-only David Byrne (QRO photos at a festival together) for 2012′s Love This Giant (QRO review), and the holy St. Vincent (QRO photos) came back with a vengeance in 2014 on St. Vincent (QRO review), including an absolutely stellar live show (QRO photos), with her platinum grey hair and mannequin moves shining outdoors (QRO live review outdoors), at festivals (QRO photos at a festival) and in the Old World (QRO live review in Europe). A must-see (QRO photos at a festival) as she comes to Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival), she comes behind last year’s massively seductive MASSEDUCTION (QRO review) and seductive stage show (QRO photos at a 2018 festival).
Blood Orange, 7:35 PM Dev Hynes (QRO photos) first came up writing for others, such as on Chemical Brothers’ Grammy-winning We Are the Night (QRO review), before forming his own band, Lightspeed Champion (QRO photos), not to mention playing in the short-lived Test Icicles. But he found serious success in his electronic project Blood Orange (QRO live review), including a feature in The New York Times, coming to Life Is Beautiful just before the release of his latest, Negro Swan.
Sabrina Claudio, 6:20 PM It’s About Time for Sabrina Claudio, who comes to Life Is Beautiful after the release of next week’s no rain, no flowers.
Also: Yungblud, 5:05 PM Morgan Saint, 3:55 PM
Huntridge Stage Wolfmother, 10:20 PM Remember when ‘wolf’ bands were all the rage? Well, AIDS Wolf may have killed that, but Sydney, Australia’s Wolfmother (QRO photos at a festival) are still here – despite the departure of two-thirds of the band in 2008, leaving singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale the sole original ‘wolf’ (QRO photos). The reborn Wolfmother come to Life Is Beautiful behind 2016’s Victorious.
The Drums, 8:35 PM The indie-pop of Brooklyn’s The Drums (QRO live review) mixes new wave, girl-group, Sweden, electro, and, above all, reverb, for something unique (QRO photos at a festival). The group (QRO photos at a festival) comes to Life Is Beautiful behind last year’s Abysmal Thoughts, and brings their killer live show (QRO live review) as well.
Tribal Seeds, 6:50 PM San Diego’s award-winning reggae group Tribal Seeds (QRO photos) have become known for their spiritually driven, refreshing rock vibe they have infused with the roots style of reggae music. Originally started by two brothers, Steven Rene Jacobo (lyrics, vocals, guitar) and Tony-Ray Jacobo (producer, keyboards, vocals), the band has since expanded to six.
Also: Harry Hudson, 5:15 PM Knox Fortune, 3:45 PM
Freemont Stage Galantis, 11:45 PM Swedish dance DJ duo Linus Eklöw and Christian Karlsson combine as Galantis (QRO photos at a festival), who’ve had hits such as “Runaway (U & I)”, 2016’s “No Money”, and redoing early internet hit “Peanut Butter Jelly”. They play their second Life Is Beautiful.
Alison Wonderland, 10:25 PM Sydney’s Alex Sholler began as a classically trained cellist, but has since stepped through the looking glass to become world-known DJ Alison Wonderland.
Gramatik, 9:20 PM Gramatik (QRO live review) comes all the way from Slovenia (the part of the former Yugoslavia that also gave us Melania Trump…) back to Las Vegas for second Life Is Beautiful in three years, behind 2016’s Epigram (QRO review).
Flight Facilities, 8:10 PM Australian disco-house duo Flight Facilities have remixed everyone from Kylie Minogue to Reggie (not Naomi) Watts.
Party Favor, 6:50 PM Park City, Utah bred DJ Dylan Ragland, a.k.a. Party Favor (QRO photos at a festival), comes to Life Is Beautiful with only an EP, 2016’s Party & Destroy.
Also: Sam Feldt, 5:45 PM Chet Porter, 4:40 PM Brasstracks, 3:40 PM
Toyota Music Den Chet Porter, 7:00 PM Morgan Saint, 6:00 PM Knox Fortune, 5:00 PM Sam Feldt, 4:00 PM AJR, 3:00 PM
Venue Vegas The Goddamn Comedy Jam with Josh Adam Meyers, 8:30 PM Comedian Josh Adam Meyers brings his Goddamn Comedy Jam to Life Is Beautiful.
Michelle Wolf, 7:00 PM Comedian Michelle Wolf (QRO photos at a festival) came up as a writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Then came this year’s White House Correspondent’s Dinner, with a sharp mockery of the current administration that rocked the Capitol. Though her own weekly Netflix show, The Break with Michelle Wolf, was just cancelled, she does two sets at Life Is Beautiful (see below). Also: Trixie Mattel, 6:45 PM Michelle Wolf, 4:30 PM Choir! Choir! Choir!, 3:00 PM

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23rd

Downtown Stage DJ Snake, 11:45 PM France’s trip-hop producer DJ Snake comes to Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival) off of working in 2014 with Diplo and touring with Skrillex. More recently came last year’s debut album Encore, including single “Let Me Love You”, which featured none other than Justin Bieber.
Arcade Fire, 9:20 PM After making the biggest indie-smash since The Strokes with the already-seminal Funeral back in 2004/2005, and leading the charge of the ‘Canadian Invasion’, Montreal’s own Arcade Fire (QRO live review) followed that up in 2007 with the excellent-even-if-it-couldn’t-be-Funeral Neon Bible (QRO review). But after playing to bigger-and-bigger-and-bigger venues (QRO live review outdoors), the massive ensemble took a much-needed break, yet they returned in 2010 (QRO photos of first U.S. show in three years), and as one of the biggest bands in indie-rock (QRO photos at a festival), with The Suburbs (QRO review), which managed to win the Grammy for Record of the Year. Of course, that meant hipsters were obligated to hate the band (QRO photos headlining Madison Square Garden), and unfortunately some of that came true in 2014 with Reflektor (QRO review). A double-album where the band now follows the trend of indie going disco-dance, it divided critics, and coupled with a massive promotional push that included not only the season premiere of Saturday Night Live but a special afterwards, not to mention Kimmel on top of the Capitol Records building and similarly divisive intimate shows (where they required the crowd to dress up, fooled on where the stage was, and did no encores) grabbing attention during the new music fest CMJ (QRO recap), it all almost seemed designed to jump the shark. However, not only is the music still great, but also so is the live show (QRO photos at a festival), and they come to Life Is Beautiful after the release of last year’s disappointing even-bigger Everything Now (QRO review), so catch them headlining Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival).
First Aid Kit, 6:00 PM Sweden’s woods-y sister act First Aid Kit (QRO live review) come to Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival), behind 2014’s Stay Gold (QRO review), their follow-up to 2012’s The Lion’s Roar (QRO review).
Lauv, 4:40 PM Pop singer Ari Staphrans Leff, a.k.a. Lauv, comes to Life Is Beautiful behind this year’s debut full-length, I Met Your When I Was 18 (The Playlist). Also: lovelytheband, 3:30 PM
BACARDI #SoundOfRum Stage ODESZA, 10:15 PM Harrison Mills & Clayton Knight managed to put out their debut as electronic duo ODESZA (QRO photos) while still in their senior year back in ’12 with Summer’s Gone, and come to Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival) off of 2014’s follow-up full-length, In Return, and big live show (QRO photos at a 2018 festival) – including lots of drums (QRO photos headlining a festival).
Tyler, the Creator, 8:45 PM Life Is Beautiful flirts with awesomeness and danger by booking the infamous Tyler, the Creator (QRO photos at a festival). In addition to fronting the ultra-chaotic Odd Future (QRO live review) collective, he’s released two solo studio albums of his own, 2012’s Goblin (QRO review) and 2015’s Wolf (QRO review), and will come to Las Vegas (QRO photos at a festival) behind last year’s Flower Boy.
B∆stille, 7:35 PM Dan Smith expanded his solo project into a full band, B∆stille (QRO photos at a festival), who became another British synth ∆ct to find overnight success in recent years (after alt-J, a.k.a. ∆). He comes to Life Is Beautiful while we wait for Doom Days, his follow-up to 2016’s Wild World (QRO review).
Santigold, 7:25 PM Formerly known as Santogold (changed due to threat of lawsuit from an infomercial jeweler Santo Gold – QRO live review), Philadelphia’s Santi White (QRO photos) toured with everyone from Coldplay to Kanye West – but coming to Life Is Beautiful (QRO photos at a festival) a star in her own right (QRO photos at a festival), behind this year’s I Don’t Want: The Gold Fire Sessions and stellar live show (QRO photos at a festival), even at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).
T-Pain, 6:05 PM Maybe no one is as ubiquitous as T-Pain (QRO photos at a festival), who’s been featured on over 50 chart-topping singles, and has ranged from Flo Rida’s “Low” to Lonely Island’s “I’m On a Boat”. He’s also something of a master of Auto-Tune, with extreme parameters to create distinctive vocals sound.
Superorganism, 4:55 PM Eight-member London indie-pop outfit Superorganism head to Life Is Beautiful after this year’s attention-getting self-titled debut.
Mikky Ekko, 3:50 PM While he first came to notice when he was featured on Rihanna’s “Stay”, Mikky Ekko (QRO photos) comes to Life Is Beautiful while we wait for his sophomore LP, Fame.
Huntridge Stage blackbear, 11:00 PM Daytona Beach’s blackbear (QRO photos at a festival) has collaborated with tons of big names, from Justin Bieber (co-wrote his hit “Boyfriend”) to Pharrell Williams and even Miley Cyrus.
Lizzo, 8:35 PM Catch the hot, fast-rising alternative hip-hop of Minneapolis’ Lizzo (QRO photos at a festival) as she comes to Life Is Beautiful.
Also: Mt. Joy, 6:50 PM Fletcher, 5:20 PM The Dirty Hooks, 4:10 PM WILDLY, 3:00 PM
Freemont Stage A$AP Ferg, 12:00 AM From out of the acclaimed hip-hop collective A$AP Mob, A$AP Ferg (QRO photos) has made his own name (QRO photos at a festival), most recently with 2016’s sophomore solo record, Always Strive and Prosper.
JUNGLE, 11:05 PM Catch the modern-soul London music collective JUNGLE (QRO photos at a European festival), who bring “mid-tempo 1970s funk” intermixed with “tropical percussion, wildlife noises, falsetto yelps, psychedelic washes and badoinking bass.”
Cashmere Cat, 9:40 PM From cold Norway to hot Vegas comes Magnus August Høiberg, a.k.a. Cashmere Cat (QRO photos at a festival), who returns to Life Is Beautiful.
GoldLink, 8:45 PM DeAnthony Carlos got critical acclaim with 2014 mixtape The God Complex as GoldLink. More recently he’s had his own hit debut studio album, At What Cost, and Grammy nominated single “Crew”.
Sofi Tukker, 7:30 PM Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern form house duo Sofi Tukker.
3LAU, 6:25 PM Las Vegas DJ/producer Justin David Blau, a.k.a. 3LAU, is coming off his sixth self-released album, Dance Floor Filth 5. Also: Graves, 5:10 PM Neil Frances, 4:00 PM
Toyota Music Den Lauv, 7:00 PM Neil Frances, 6:00 PM lovelytheband, 5:00 PM Mt. Joy, 4:00 PM Graves, 3:00 PM
Venue Vegas Hannibal Buress, 6:30 PM Hannibal Buress, 7:15 PM Yes, most people in America first heard of Hannibal Buress (QRO photos at a festival) when he pointed out Bill Cosby’s history of rape allegations that led to that venerable stand-up’s recent infamous fall from grace. But Buress (QRO photos at a comedy festival) is much more, an accomplished stand-up who’s shared the bill with musicians before (QRO photos), and one of the main guys on Broad City.
Also: Boast Rattle: A Competitive Compliment Contest with Kyle Ayers, 6:00 PM The New Negroes with Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle, 4:30 PM Choir! Choir! Choir!, 3:00 PM

For festival website, go here: https://lifeisbeautiful.com/