Life is Beautiful, Elton John highlight Las Vegas concerts
Go ahead, throw Space Jesus and Toto together and try — just try! — not to have a party.
Yup, pretty much impossible.
The former is a hip-hop-weaned DJ-producer who “explores the electronic auditory universe in search of lower frequencies, future feels, and fire beats,” according to his SoundCloud profile.
The latter is a soft-rock standard-bearer whose career has received a boost thanks to Weezer’s recent cover of its ’80s jukebox staple “Africa.”
They’re just two of the 70-plus acts performing at Life is Beautiful Music and Art Festival, set for Sept. 20 through 22.
Returning downtown for its seventh year, the fest boasts headliners Chance the Rapper, the Black Keys and Post Malone along with precocious popster Billie Eilish, alt-rockers Portugal. The Man, R&B changeling Janelle Monae, the Afro-beat-influenced Vampire Weekend, rapper Lil Wayne, DJ-producer Zedd and scads more.
It’s the biggest music event in a month full of them. The rest of the top 10 Vegas concerts for September:
Big Blues Bender, Sept. 5-8, Hard Rock Hotel
No, the Bigger-est Blues Bender doesn’t read quite as well on T-shirts, but it would be an apt title adjustment as the four-day blues binge moves from the Plaza to the Hard Rock. The jam-friendly Gov’t Mule, guitar great Robert Cray, rock ’n’ roll true believers Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul and dozens more will perform all night across five stages.
Elton John, Sept. 6 and 7, T-Mobile Arena
So many musical greats have embarked on farewell tours this year: Kiss, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Seger, George Clinton, Slayer. Add Elton to the list, as this outing will be his last. Maybe we’ll still see him in Vegas from time to time, though, as John is a regular at local vinyl emporium Wax Trax Records.
Keith Urban, Sept. 6 and 7, Colosseum at Caesars Palace
The Colosseum has gotten a face-lift, but country music heart puncher Keith Urban, who christens the refurbished venue, needs no such cosmetic enhancements to heighten his dreaminess. Just ask your mom.
Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Sept. 12-15, multiple venues
For Latin music lovers, Mexican Independence Day weekend is like dying and going to heaven without the pesky dying part. On tap this year: Luis Miguel(Colosseum at Caesars Place, Sept. 12, 13, 15 and 16); Banda MS (Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort, Sept. 13); Daddy Yankee (The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan, Sept. 13); Cafe Tacuba (House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, Sept. 13); Marco Antonio Solis (Mandalay Bay Events Center, Sept. 13); Enrique Iglesias (Colosseum at Caesars Place, Sept. 14); Mana (MGM Grand Garden, Sept. 14); Maluma (Mandalay Bay Events Center, Sept. 14); Pancho Barraza (The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan, Sept. 14); Reik (The Pearl at the Palms, Sept. 14); Alejandra Guzman (Mandalay Bay Beach, Sept. 15); Alejandro Fernandez (Mandalay Bay Events Center, Sept. 15); and Marc Anthony (Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood, Sept. 15).
Iron Maiden, Sept. 13, MGM Grand Garden
Flamethrowers, giant replica fighter jets, enough pyro to singe Satan’s goatee and muskets — yeah, muskets: Iron Maiden always go big with their live productions, and for their current “Legacy of the Beast” tour, the heavy metal history buffs are promising their most elaborately staged show yet. “Run to the Hills” if explosives aren’t your thing.
Eric Clapton, Sept. 13, T-Mobile Arena
Slowhand still equates to fast ticket sales, as the only artist to be inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame three times (with the Yardbirds, Cream and as a solo artist) continues to fill arenas six decades into an unparalleled career.
iHeartRadio Music Festival, Sept. 20-21, T-Mobile Arena
Curious lack of corpse-painted Norwegian black metal aside, this Ryan Seacrest-approved fest spans most every genre, from classic rock (Def Leppard, Heart) to country (Tim McGraw, Zac Brown Band) to pop (Halsey, Miley Cyrus) to hip-hop (Chance the Rapper, French Montana) to DJs-dressed-as-S’more-ingredients (Marshmello) and plenty more. Meanwhile, Billie Eilish, Maren Morris, Juice Wrld and others play the daytime stage at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on Sept. 21.
The Eagles, Sept. 27 and 28 and Oct. 5, MGM Grand Garden
You’ve heard these songs a million times, but you’ve never heard them like this: live. The Eagles’ “Hotel California” is one of the top-selling records of all time, certified a whopping 26-times platinum. Now, 43 years after its release, the band will perform it for the first time in its entirety onstage during its only U.S. shows of the year. At long last, those “Pretty Maids All in a Row” will visit Vegas.
Greta Van Fleet, Sept. 27, The Joint
Yeah, they sound like Led Zeppelin. Since when is that a bad thing? Instead of dismissing this bunch for channeling the greatest hard rock group of all time, how about giving props to a young band introducing rock ’n’ roll to an audience that’s often younger still?
Contact Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow @JasonBracelin on Twitter.
Anticipated releases
Iggy Pop, "Free" (Sept. 6): "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," the punk progenitor instructs on his eighth studio album, leading by example.
Miles Davis, "Rubberband" (Sept. 6): Thirty-some years after the fact, this "lost" album from the jazz icon has finally been found.
Korn, "The Nothing" (Sept. 13): Nü metal hasn't gotten old just yet, as these scene vets demonstrate on album No. 13.
Zac Brown Band, "The Owl" (Sept. 20): Get the new one from these country favorites the weekend they hit town to play the iHeart Radio Music Festival.
Tegan and Sara, "Hey, I'm Just Like You" (Sept. 27): And that would mean these alt-pop twin sisters are totally, totally awesome.
