The Veterans

Cage the Elephant (Friday, 9:20 p.m., Downtown Stage) Rock’s sway isn’t what it once was, but this Kentucky-born band reigns among the biggest guitar bands of its era. Cage’s platinum-selling 2009 debut LP included millennial anthem “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” 2011 follow-up Thank You, Happy Birthday reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and the three albums since have continued to sell and stream in big numbers.

Arctic Monkeys (Friday, 11:25 p.m., Downtown Stage) The U.K. will put its stamp on this year’s festival, with more than 10 artists headed over from the island nation, including these Monkeys, who’ll cap off Night 1 on the main stage. Starting as a scrappy four-piece playing breakneck garage rock, they’ve grown and grown over the past 20 years—largely on the strength of magnetic frontman Alex Turner, who can charm even the chilliest of crowds.

T-Pain (Friday, 10:55 p.m. Bacardi Stage) Migos won’t make it to LIB 2022 as planned, but the fest snagged a trailblazer as a replacement. The auto-tune movement of the late aughts likely wouldn’t have happened had it not been for Florida rapper T-Pain, who channeled inspiration from Roger Troutman’s talk-box vocals into a series of contagious singles. Lil Wayne, Kanye West and others soon hopped aboard, and boom!, we had ourselves a trend. And you have yourselves a Friday-night party waiting to happen.

Lorde (Saturday, 9:10 p.m., Downtown Stage)

There’s a lot of testosterone among LIB’s headliners, so this New Zealand-born pop singer will add much-needed feminine energy to the proceedings. Lorde, who also played LIB 2017 following the release of second album Melodrama, returns armed with 2021’s third LP, Solar Power, which encourages listeners to see beauty in everyday life—a good fit for a festival called Life Is Beautiful, don’t ya think?

Gorillaz (Saturday, 11:10 p.m., Downtown Stage) Nearly a quarter century ago, Blur frontman Damon Albarn and visual artist Jamie Hewlett rethought the way music is delivered and consumed, creating fictional band members to star in music videos, interviews, comic strips and short cartoons. Gorillaz remains a unique force today, with seven studio albums to its credit and an eighth, Cracker Island, scheduled to drop in February, featuring collaborations with Stevie Nicks, Thundercat, Bad Bunny and others.

Big Boi (Sunday, 6:35 p.m., Downtown Stage) He’s one-half of OutKast, among the all-time greatest American hip-hop acts. But he’s also a certifiable star in his own right, bringing his fresh, clean flow to everything from his own solo records to Big Sleepover, last December’s collaboration with Atlanta funkster Sleepy Brown.

Beach House (Sunday, 10:35 p.m., Bacardi Stage) Eight albums into their career, Baltimore’s Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally have become synonymous with dream pop, layering guitar reverb, haunting organ and Legrand’s ethereal vocals to gorgeous effect. Beach House’s latest, February double-LP Once Twice Melody, ranks among its very best—and the year’s top 10 records on user-generated website Rateyourmusic.com.

Calvin Harris (Sunday 11:35 p.m., Downtown Stage) The Scottish DJ/producer has soundtracked some of the biggest songs of our summers, including “I Need Your Love” (featuring Ellie Goulding), “This Is What You Came For” (featuring Rihanna) and, well, “Summer” itself. His current style is slickly displayed on August’s Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2, and though it’s always cool to catch him in a club, this big-stage performance feels like the right way to cap off the weekend.

Fresh Faces

Blu DeTiger (Friday, 5:15 p.m., Huntridge Stage & 9:15 p.m., Toyota Music Den)

Who: This accomplished New Yorker has played with Caroline Polachek and Fletcher, among others, and released viral track “Figure It Out,” which made NPR’s top 40 songs of 2020.

Sound: Groovy and dreamy indie pop with hints of funk—for Gen Z by Gen Z

Stop by if you dig: Pale Waves, The Regrettes

First spin: “Figure It Out”

Dabin (Friday, 9:10 p.m., Fremont Stage)

Who: A Canadian instrumentalist and DJ who has collaborated with big EDM names like Illenium and Slander

Sound: Acoustic and electronic soundscapes, melodic and wistful

Stop by if you dig: Said the Sky, Seven Lions, Porter Robinson

First Spin: “Bloom”

Georgia (Sunday, 3:30 p.m., Bacardi Stage)

Who: An English singer-songwriter singer who got her start as a drummer before dropping her eponymous debut in 2015

Sound: A euphoric throwback to the ’80’s bursting with synth and dreamy vocals fused with inspiration from Chicago house and Kate Bush

Stop by if you dig: Caroline Polachek, Sophie

First spin: “Started Out”

Satin Jackets (Sunday, 3:55 p.m., Fremont Stage)

What: German electronic producer Tim Bernhardt produces music, and his partner, Den Ishu, performs it live in a golden geometric mask (!)

Sound: Relaxing nu-disco for the grown and sexy

Stop by if you dig: Poolside, Panama

First Spin: “You Make Me Feel Good”

Wet Leg (Friday, 6:50 p.m., Huntridge Stage)

What: A buzzed-about female rock duo from the U.K. with a No.1 album, a Mercury Prize nom and a talent for charming listeners with cheeky wordplay

Sound: Jangly guitar riffs, spurts of Riot Grrrl and post-punk distortion

Stop by if you dig: Wolf Alice, Soccer Mommy

First spin: “Wet Dream”

Coi Leray (Saturday, 10:45 p.m., Fremont Stage)

Who: A rising Jersey rap star who emerged from the Soundcloud scene in 2018, snagging a record deal and earned studio time with Nicki Minaj and Pooh Shiesty

Sound: Melodic rap with accents of plucky pop

Stop by if you dig: Bia, Asian Doll

First spin: “Blick Blick”

Lexi Jayde (Sunday, 4:20 p.m., Huntridge Stage)

Who: A pensive and lyrically sensitive 20-year-old singer-songwriter, TikTok star and actress who has a lot to say on behalf of Gen Z

Sound: Brooding, self-reflective indie pop with acoustic arrangements tailored to those in need of some sonic therapy

Stop by if you dig: Gracie Abrams, Elio

First spin: “Newbury Park”

Palace (Sunday, 5:05 p.m., Downtown Stage)

What: A London-based quartet that caught the attention of Jamie T., who handpicked the band to support him at his London comeback shows

Sound: Alt-rock and blues with laid-back guitar riffs and warm vocals

Stop by if you dig: Local Natives, Gregory Alan Isakov

First spin: “Heaven Up There”

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL September 16-18. 2 p.m.-1 a.m., $180/day, $380/fest, Downtown Las Vegas, lifeisbeautiful.com.

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