The 10th annual Life is Beautiful festival has come and gone. This years' iteration once again suffused Downtown Las Vegas in music, light and energy, though the experience felt slightly more compact than in years past. The festival ground itself was lightly truncated: Streets and walkways allocated to the festival in previous years were blocked off, and one of the fest's five stages—the former Huntridge Stage, now called the Rolling Stone Stage—was relocated entirely.
But even in lightly edited form, the energy, uplift and sheer joy of Life Is Beautiful remains undiminished. Just around every corner is a new surprise—a set by your next favorite band, a piece of neon-inspired art, even a group of gentle beasts who wandered in from America's Got Talent. Here are a few of the Weekly's favorite sights and sounds from Life Is Beautiful 2023.
FAVORITE SETS
Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Friday, Downtown Stage) “I think it’s been about 10 years since the Yeah Yeah Yeahs played Las Vegas. If I were to guess, I’d say 10 f*cking years. And we’re happy to be back!” said Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O, before giant eyeball beach balls were cast into the audience during “Zero.” The band opened with “Spitting Off the Edge” from 2022’s Cool It Down, and followed with a mix of old favorites “Cheated Hearts,” “Rich,” “Soft Shock,” “Gold Lion,” “Maps,” “Heads Will Roll,” and “Date With the Night” as well as newer tracks “Burning,” and “Love Bomb.” –Shannon Miller
The Killers (Friday, Downtown Stage) It may have been the festival’s 10th anniversary, but Killers frontman Brandon Flowers reminded the crowd that the band has been here even longer. “We’ve been doubling down on Vegas since 2001,” he said. That Vegas connection is not something they take lightly. The band walked onstage to Frank Sinatra’s “Luck Be a Lady,” and at one point played Elvis’ “Viva Las Vegas.” As a nod to the residency about to start at the Sphere, Flowers and guitarist Ted Sablay gave a stripped-down version of U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name.” And no Killers set would be complete without fan favorites “When You Were Young,” “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine,” “Spaceman,” and “Mr. Brightside.” –SM
Goth Babe (Friday, Rolling Stone Stage) Goth Babe’s first-ever Las Vegas set recaptured the wanderlust of an impulsive road trip—and its carefree soundtrack. Memories of playing by the ocean, burrowing into a jacket next to a bonfire, cruising down a snow-powdered slope, those and so many others resurfaced during this atmospheric set, saturated in bright, sun-washed guitar tones and the whistling production of musician Griff Washburn. The singer indulged himself onstage, playing to the point of personal bliss and with the heart of a happy, bushy-tailed lab. It was impossible not to enjoy this man. Not when he invited two fans to crowd surf on the inflatable boats he’d brought onstage, not when he incited a dance off in the audience and certainly not when he tossed a whole carton of cupcakes into the crowd. We’d gladly welcome Goth Babe back. –Amber Sampson
Yung Gravy (Saturday, JBL Stage) Yung Gravy is the man of our memes. From sampling The Chordettes's “Mr. Sandman” in the platinum-certified hit “Mr. Clean” to rapping about becoming your new step dad, he’s a viral man walking and he knows it. The Minnesotan rapper activated “goblin mode” on Saturday, running through tracks like “Whip a Tesla,” “Cheryl” and “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot.” (As a colleague put it, he’s the Dr. Seuss of our generation.) The rapper kept his antics going by handing out water only to encourage fans to “make it rain,” and at one point, he Facetimed his friend as he performed. Say what you will about this internet jokester, but he knows how to build a following. –AS
Omar Apollo (Saturday, Downtown Stage) Looking the part of a Latin Prince, Omar Apollo was all hip rolls and glass-trembling falsetto in a sequined two-piece that pushed one man to shout, “I love you, papi!” Standing well over 6 feet tall, Apollo was an absolute presence, pirouetting his dancer’s body with style and gazelle-like grace. “Now let’s do some sexy sh*t right now,” Apollo said, launching into the sizzling “Killing Me.” His pitch remained on point throughout Ivory’s most intensive ballads, especially the much-anticipated “Evergreen.” The standout out though for Apolonio fans had to be “Want You Around,” which Apollo attacked with such vulnerability, you could feel the hairs on your neck stand at attention. “I saw Adele last night. She inspired me,” he said. –AS
Kendrick Lamar (Saturday, Downtown Stage) Kung Fu Kenny needs no introduction, but his close out performance Saturday night stood out among festival glitz and glam. The wordsmith held a steady flow during the duration of his set while periodically checking in on the thousands of fans, “You could be anywhere in the world, but you’re right here with us having a good time in Vegas,” he said. Aside from his legendary setlist that moved from Good Kid, M.A.A.D City to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers we couldn’t help but applaud the Kendrick clones who filed on and off stage through the night. Their calculated, yet mysterious dance told a story just as loud as the lyricism from Mr. Lamar. -Gabriela Rodriguez
Kim Petras (Sunday, JBL Stage) “You’re the best crowd I’ve had in f*cking months,” proclaimed Kim Petras during her Sunday night set. It’s hard to get a crowd moving on the last leg of a three-day fest, but this slut pop princess did it with ease. Checking off all her bangers like “XXX”, “Throat Goat,” and “Unholy,” all the girls and gays were soon enough off their feet and feeding off her energy. One fan even looked to those around him and stated, “If you’re not dancing, you’re homophobic!” -GR
Odesza (Sunday, Downtown Stage) This EDM duo was the ideal pick for one last weekend hurrah. All the usual rave suspects were in attendance for this main stage takeover—flames, engaging visuals, beat controlled lighting and of course a hyped crowd. Even certified rockers were entranced by the experience. But the accompanying drum line took over the crowd with their uniform style approach which highlighted the best parts of electro dance music, the beat. -GR
FAVORITE MOMENTS
Ballroom Boulevard: New LGBTQ nightlife concept Queen brought Pride to Fremont East on Friday, popping confetti and parading through the streets just after 6 p.m. An official partner of Life Is Beautiful this year, Queen debuted its first Disco Queen kiki at Ferguson’s Downtown, where RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Jaymes Manfield, Ada Vox and many other performers served realness all throughout the weekend. They came, they saw, they werked. –AS
Vanderpump VIP: You never know who you’ll see at LIB, but it’s good to keep your eyes peeled. That’s how we spotted Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval in VIP at the Downtown Stage on Saturday. For those who don't follow, Sandoval’s most infamous claim to fame has been #Scandoval2023, in which the reality TV star’s affair with his girlfriend’s bestie unraveled on camera. It was the cheating story heard ’round the world. And here we were, face-to-face with the culprit at a Ferg set. At least he has good taste in music. –AS
Invasion of Big Nazo: Several encounters have been reported of an America’s Got Talent troupe of otherworldly creatures called Big Nazo. This weekend, these puppets and performers roamed the streets of LIB, lumbering along with tentacled appendages and 7-foot-tall trolls looking monstrously beautiful, warts and all. They seemed to have escaped from their planet to party out in the open with festival goers. Take us back with you, Big Nazo! –AS
