The beloved Las Vegas festival Life Is Beautiful celebrated its 10th year in 2023, bringing fans from every corner of the world for a three-day experience on the historic Fremont Street. With performances from The Killers, Kendrick Lamar, ODESZA, and more, it felt like the capstone to an epic era of growth for the festival.
But this year, Life Is Beautiful is trying something different, something smaller, to kick off its next chapter: a “Big Beautiful Block Party.” Taking place over two days (Friday, September 27th and Saturday, September 28th) and located in a single Downtown Vegas Arts District lot rather than an 18-block sprawl, the Block Party will feature just two stages situated across from each other with alternating sets.
Though organizers have stated this format isn’t replacing the larger “festival” experience of prior editions so much as filling-in while plans for the future are made, the Block Party’s stacked lineup remains on par with most major US events, even with half the acts. LCD Soundsystem, Justice, and Jamie xx are atop the bill, with Jungle, Peggy Gou, James Blake, Thundercat, Toro y Moi, Neil Frances, Empress Of, BADBADNOTGOOD, LP Giobbi, Jon Talabot, and FIFI also set to play.
If you’re of the festival going sort, the reduction of days and stages may seem like a downgrade — but given the Block Party’s lower ticket prices, later start times, and curated lineup, it may actually be just as worthy of the Life Is Beautiful name. Here are five reasons why Life Is Beautiful’s “A Big Beautiful Block Party” is a welcome change for 2024. Get in on the fun by getting your tickets here .
An Especially Groovy Dance Party
Like all big multi-genre festivals, Life Is Beautiful typically features several stylistic pathways to choose from in the electronic, hip-hop, alternative rock, and pop worlds. But this year, they’ve honed in and consolidated their offerings to 14 acts that all share common ingredients. It’s very likely that if you’re already a fan of one of these groups — be it the kaleidoscopic house of Jamie xx, the dance punk of LCD Soundsystem, or the psychedelic jazz of Thundercat and BADBADNOTGOOD — you’re bound to enjoy the others.
Each of these artists and groups are known for their electrifying live shows and have no problem keeping the party alive. On top of that, there’s a rarity to some of these bookings; while acts like Jungle, LP Giobbi, and Neil Frances have been festival mainstays throughout the last couple years, it’s an event in and of itself to have LCD Soundsystem and Justice top the bill. Both of those bands emerged in a similar era of electro-aided bombast and aren’t as consistently active nowadays, the former mainly playing residencies and the latter only recently returning to the road behind their first album in eight years, Hyperdrama .
No Overlapping Sets
It’s already been stated, but this is a huge win for music fans. Set time conflicts can make a great festival lineup feel lopsided, and with a lineup that’s as curated as this Block Party, it would be a genuinely foolish move to divide fanbases with overlapping shows. So, Life Is Beautiful is making it easy with one act following another and the two stages being situated adjacent to each other.
It mirrors the festival’s previous set-up, where the Downtown Stage and Huntridge Stages alternated. It’s great that Life Is Beautiful has grown into a massive event, but being able to hop between the aptly named “BIG” and “BEAUTIFUL” stages at the Block Party and not miss a literal beat is going to make for an impeccable weekend. The schedule has already been released for both days, so take a look now and plan your bathroom and food breaks accordingly.
Lower Ticket Prices, Same High Quality
Okay, Las Vegas is expensive. Anything that feels “cheaper” is usually designed to trick you. But with a two-day pass currently running at $259 and one-day tickets going for $149 via Life Is Beautiful’s official ticketing partner StubHub , the lower price is definitely a deal-sweetener. The Big Beautiful Block Party essentially has all the bells and whistles of a multi-day festival with the cost lowered to “back in my day” prices!
Not only that, with no overlapping sets and the size of the Block Party’s participating artists, the event’s value is easily greater than its ticket price. LCD Soundsystem, Jungle, Jamie xx, and Justice play venues where it would cost as much to see all four of their individual shows as it would to get one Big Beautiful Block Party ticket. Add in other big-name acts like Thundercat, James Blake, and Peggy Gou (who is rapidly approaching the next tier of stardom), and you’re basically getting a $500 ticket for half the price.
More Time to Enjoy Las Vegas
As the type who often gets to festivals when the gates open to see as many smaller acts as possible, I’m always urging festival goers to do the same (music discovery at a festival is an essential part of the experience!). But luckily of us early arrivers, the Block Party starts each day at 5:00 p.m., meaning attendees have the whole day to enjoy Las Vegas before hopping downtown for the fest.
Despite how humongous Las Vegas may seem from the outside, it’s not hard to go back and forth from Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street, so even if you’re out golfing by the airport or drinking one of those insane blended blue cocktails at the Cosmopolitan’s rooftop pool til 4:00 p.m., you can still make it to the Block Party in time to catch the first act of the day.
After all, Vegas is like its own mini-universe, and if you’re traveling into town for this destination fest, you deserve to experience as much of it as you can. If you’re planning a trip to Las Vegas for Life Is Beautiful’s Big Beautiful Block Party, you can save 15% off travel and accommodations through Booking.com .
The Beginning of a Beautiful New Era
While Life Is Beautiful may be pausing their normal four-stage, 18-square-block festivities, the Big Beautiful Block Party is not intended to be a replacement of the festival. As the organizers say on their website, “In time, Life is Beautiful and A Big Beautiful Block Party will coexist.” So if anything, after 10 years, LiB isn’t shrinking, it’s expanding!
The Block Party is fashioned as a more intimate music experience, while the regular festival is as widescreen as it gets. Whether you’re looking for a weekend of literal can’t-miss music or an inimitable three-day experience across the wonderland of Sin City, the best is clearly still yet to come for Life Is Beautiful attendees.
Plus, this concert now has “beautiful” and “party” in its title. What more could you ask for in Las Vegas?
This article was published in partnership with Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival.
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