Editor’s Note: We join with everyone in mourning the tragic act of violence in Las Vegas at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. For more information on how to help the victims, please click here.

Life is Beautiful 2017, now in its fifth year, continued in its goal of bringing the best of music, art, food, and innovation to downtown Las Vegas. With headliners like Lorde, Muse, and Chance the Rapper, the fest brought together a satisfying blend of huge names and undiscovered talent that made for an unpredictable weekend.

Life is Beautiful was a complete takeover of eighteen blocks of bars, restaurants, and venues in Downtown Las Vegas, a neighborhood in the midst of a burgeoning cultural renaissance. Between the four stages, attendees could hop from one art installation to another and take in the sprawling murals and sculptures that had been commissioned for the festival. From the Meow Wolf Art Motel, which completely transformed a rundown motel into a maze of color, to the world’s first solar-powered mural by Felipe Pantone, the festival was a sprawling backdrop for thousands of selfies.

With such a palatable spread of performers having set the stage, it seemed right to have Gorillaz close out the weekend. Joined onstage by Pusha T, Vince Staples, De La Soul, and Savages’ Jehnny Beth, Damon Albarn and his animated avatars were the perfect fusion of music and art for a festival like Life is Beautiful.

In addition to our FLOOD Festival Guide presented by Toyota C-HR—which is available for download now—FLOOD will be at all this year’s best festivals to provide you with firsthand reports from the scene.

: Kali Uchis at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Kali Uchis at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Jehnny Beth at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Gorillaz at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Gorillaz at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Gorillaz at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: De La Soul at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: De La Soul at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: De La Soul at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Damon Albarn at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Classixx at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Classixx at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Classixx at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Classixx at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Cirque du Soleil at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Cirque du Soleil at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Cirque du Soleil at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Cirque du Soleil at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Capital Cities at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Capital Cities at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Capital Cities at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Cage the Elephant at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Cage the Elephant at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Cage the Elephant at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Cage the Elephant at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Broods at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: The Blue Man Group at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Wiz Khalifa at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Vince Staples at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Vince Staples at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Tycho at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Tycho at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Tycho at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Tycho at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: The xx at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: The xx at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Sigrid at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Sigrid at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: San Fermin at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Pusha T at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Mondo Cozmo at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Mondo Cozmo at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Local Natives at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: Local Natives at Life is Beautiful / photo by Natasha Aftandilians

: photo by Natasha Aftandilians

FLOOD

San Fermin

MUSIC, ART + CULTURE,DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

MUSIC, ART + CULTURE,
DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX