By: Jason R. Latham
There will come a point, during the first, second, or third night of Life Is Beautiful, when you are hauling ass through the streets of downtown, trying to make it to the stage before your favorite Vegas-based act takes the stage.
You might be running. You might be doing that thing where you walk briskly and then break into a sprint for about four seconds before returning to a normal pace. You might be making the trek by yourself, as your friends are out of reach both visually and by phone (damn you downtown cell service).
No matter what you do, there’s one thing you should know: They’re really glad you’re here, too.
Because when it comes to local acts, the tenth LIB reads like an On the Strip “Things to Do” list, and all of them have something to show you.
“Our presence at the festival has taken a number of different iterations, from street performances to main stage acts to incredible band collaborations,” says Cirque du Soleil Director of Communications Ann Paladie. “This year, in honor of Cirque du Soleil’s 30th anniversary in Las Vegas, we are thrilled to be back on the main stage with a special performance, created exclusively for the amazing LIB crowd.”
The big word here is “exclusively.” If you’re at the Downtown Stage at 7:25 p.m. on Friday, you’re going to see a performance that happens here, and stays here. Go ahead and shove that in the face of those family members always begging for you to use one of your “connections” on Cirque tickets.
Worried about overlapping acts? Don’t be. The artists don’t want to miss each other, either. Nor do they want to miss all the best that LIB has to offer.
“It’s where I uncover culinary gems that become my go-to local spots, and where new artists enrich my playlists, setting the tone for the year ahead,” says Blue Man Group’s Alain Rochefort. “The festival is also a gathering of inspiring individuals, a community bound by creativity.
“Having shared the stage with phenomenal talents like Alessia Cara, 3lau, and Marc Rebillet, we relish the opportunity each year to bring something fresh and new to the audience.”
It’s not just the very bendy Cirque performers and very painted Blue Men making appearances this year. There’s the very coordinated Jabbawockeez. The very ripped men of Magic Mike Live. The very surly Piff the Magic Dragon. The very silent Tape Face.
The gang’s all here. Are you not entertained?
