Returning Back To NORMAL LIFE: Life Is Beautiful 2021 IN REVIEW
LIVE in living color, Interracial Friends brings you exclusive coverage of LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL 2021
It’s official, the festival has concluded and we have seen Life Is Beautiful grace Downtown Las Vegas with a delightful return. The Streets of downtown breathed again for the first time in over about 2 years.
An Instagram post from Life Is Beautiful announcing the 2020 cancelation.
Life truly is beautiful, is it not? For over a year plus people have waited in angst holding onto festival tickets that were to either be either good for the following year or simply refunded. In some cases people didn’t get refunded at all depending on what festival we are talking about. Some festivals all together have outright canceled without even announcing a lineup for the year. COVID has absolutely ravaged the festival industry and even though we are “back” we are still feeling the sting and will for years to come.
In 2020, Life Is Beautiful made the heartfelt decision to not go forward with the years festival plans due to the unprecedented times COVID-19 brought upon the world. This choice was met with a barrage of mixed opinions from the public. Some people were outraged, some people sided with the choice in favor of what would be best for public safety, and some people were just happy to have a sense of closure to know if the festival was going to happen or not. Life Is Beautiful has waited well over a year to show their vision from 2020 in an epic full return for this years 2021 festival, and their time finally came.
This festival has always stated its clear beliefs of spreading love and celebrating life, messages Interracial Friends has always stood behind as well. So when confirmation was received that coverage was approved for this years festival the I was beyond ecstatic. I knew this trip to Vegas would be different from my first since it was post-pandemic, but I couldn't have been anymore excited. The beauty about this festival is that it is so much more than just a music festival. Life is Beautiful also showcases an array of unique interest such as comedy, art, diverse culinary, and perhaps most interesting of all the encouragement of new ideas. The yearly lineup is also always very diverse in its own respect.
So what is Life Is Beautiful even? An statement issued from the festival simply says this:
“Life is Beautiful was born in 2013 as part of the major transformation of Downtown Las Vegas as a cultural hub and has since contributed over $350M of economic impact and cultural capital to the area. During the three-day festival, premier musical acts, experiential artists, comedians, thinkers and culinary talent flow into the urban streets of DTLV, in addition to the festival’s 170,000 attendees. What started as an event has become something more: a symbol of connection, joy and creativity. Life is Beautiful continues to be driven by its core mission to create a holistic experience which aids in positive community transformation and individual empowerment by collectivizing and inspiring through shared experiences driven by art and culture.”
From reading that statement it can clearly be gathered that this festival wants to provide more than just a regular 3-day festival experience, it aims to provides a stellar festival experience that will provide memories which will last a lifetime. The name of this festival even screams positive vibes. The excitement this festival looks to bring attendants hits me with a sense of deep anticipation and exhilaration alone. For years I have personally wanted to go to Life Is Beautiful as a patron but never had the chance. Fast-forward a few years later, I’am now so busy with my business to the point that I cannot make time to go to festivals or vacation somewhere unless I’m working it. So you can imagine my excitement to bring you exclusive coverage through my eyes presented by Interracial Friends. I was told about 2 weeks out from the day of the festival that I was approved. Not only was I excited, I was shocked. I have always wanted to attend this festival and now I was going to be attending my first year as media. A dream come true some would say. I buy the ticket and take the ride, hotel and plane trips are booked. My suitcase is packed, I shift into Gonzo journalism mode and channel my inner Hunter S. Thompson… Mowgli is officially returning to the land of neon, Sin City, Las Vegas.
DAY 1 - FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021
After a pleasant arrival in Vegas I had no complaints. I had a great travel day and I felt ready for the next three days. Credentials were already on my wrist from pickup the day prior and I had all of my gear ready to go. I even rented an extra camera body for the weekend so I didn’t have to waste time switching lenses. I took my next taxi to the festival grounds ready to go. Deepak Chopra was set to start the day with a mindful engagement at the Fremont Stage at 3:05 which would be followed by Midnight Kids at 3:45. Sa-Roc was also set to play at the same time on the Huntridge Stage. I had plans to go to Sa-Roc over Midnight Kids, as I had recently covered Midnight Kids previously in Colorado at Red Rocks. I knew he would bring an excellent performance for dancers and ravers alike. But as I said, I had my eyes set on covering Sa-Roc first and foremost and then all other artist who had set times stacked or near each other. But on my way in I met two interesting charecters whom I knew had to have apart of my first fan interviews. Jessi and Joey are friendly Vegas locals who live inside of the festival grounds. Out of this interview, I believe I got possibly the best quote out of the weekend from this interview from Joey: “Every moment of your life is the most important moment of your life.”
“Every moment of your life is the most important moment of your life!”
- Joey
Joey: Every moment of your life is the most important moment of your life!
Mowgli: Exactly, I like that. What’s your name?
Joey: Name’s Joey.
Jessi: Jessi.
Mowgli: Where are you guys from?
Joey: Here actually! We live over there actually. Inside the festival actually.
Mowgli: Vegas locals then!
Jessi: They gave us free tickets as an apology for messing up our parking for a few weeks.
Mowgli: Wow, so living inside the festival actually gave you the perk of entrance then. Do you guys come to this every year? Have you been here all 6 years?
Jessi: This is my first time!
Joey: I’ve been here two times before.
Mowgli: Last question, what would you say is the number one reason why life is beautiful to you?
Joey: Oh, because you’re alive! You know every moment of your life is the most important moment of your life. Again, so I mean, you gotta be grateful right? It’s easy to survive. You really gotta celebrate. Because anyone can survive. You can throw a fish on the ground, it can survive for awhile - anyone can survive. But to CELEBRATE… now that’s to celebrate life. That’s what it’s all about.
Mowgli: I love that answer! Do you have an answer?
Jessi: Music. (smiles/laughs)
Mowgli: I like that too, as simple as that! Thank you so much, enjoy the festival!
And with that we parted ways in separate directions. I was ready to head towards the first photo pit of the day. HOWEVER, I was about to be in for a big surprise…
As I attempted to enter the pit I was hit with a new update; which I was told the festival promoters were just told about as well. To enter the photo pit you now needed a blue health check wristband which meant you were fully vaccinated. It was now officially and suddenly required that media and all workers near artist be vaccinated. Originally media was told in email that a 72-hour negative COVID test would suffice for entry, just like the regular crowd entering daily whom had red health check wristbands (which meant they were either fully-vacinated or showed a 72-hour negative test). This red band was the wristband I was currently wearing with my golden photo pit band which felt like a golden ticket to the chocolate factory. But suddenly I needed another band which was not immediately near me. Suddenly the blue wristband was the new golden ticket I needed. Most of the security I had encountered at first also did not know about this newly implemented policy yet or were just being notified of it. My plans changed. I realized I needed to trek back to square one which was the box office. Something to note, this festival is extremely HUGE. This was also my 2nd time in Las Vegas and my first time at Life Is Beautiful. Naturally I was very overwhelmed. I had yet to learn the streets or nail down where every stage was. Anxiety was beginning to creep up on me slowly. I ignore it. I finally arrive back at the box office. I’m told I cannot personally get the blue wristband I need at this location because they can only give it to certain workers as they only have a limited amount at the box office. Longer story short, I basically ended up going to multiple locations over the span of minutes which stretched to hours. I was told at each new location to either go to a different location (which was either far or somewhat close) or that they had no idea what I was talking about. This showed how new this policy was indeed. This ultimately effected my coverage. But this is the job and it comes with the territory. You have to be ready for change at any moment and be ready to adapt.
It’s absolutely crucial in this industry to be able to adapt quickly. To try to make the best of an unfortunate situation. While searching for this blue wristband I stop at BACARDÍ Stage. Willow Smith is next to take the stage in about 30-40 Minutes. As I talk with security and show them my vaccination card and ID they realize my plight and let me into the pit. After all, I did have the proper clearance and they saw this. Unfortunately, they also did not have any of the blue health check wristbands at that location. I let a few minutes go by before convincing myself that I can find this blue wristband before Willow Smith comes out. I thought I could make it back in time. Looking back on it, I should have stayed there. At that point over 3-4 hours had passed and I just wanted to focus on taking photos and securing coverage rather than stressing myself out over obtaining this wristband. I realized I had made it my top priority. The reason for that in my head though was knowing that I needed it for the rest of the weekend. It was going to determine my coverage for the next two days as well. I knew I needed to get this band at some point on the first day - but I also knew that I needed to start taking photos and attempting to enter photo pits. I didn’t get much coverage on the first day due to this new policy. The unfortunate chase which ensued for me to find this blue band was a huge hurdle. I don’t blame the festival at all, they didn’t know it was coming just like the members of the media. This was a moment to roll with the punches… I ask myself, what would Hunter do?
“Buy the ticket… take the ride.” And with that thought, I went forth to gather what I could:
I was taking photos throughout the day but the real camera work came into play for me when Don Toliver came on stage. Still no blue wristband, I had to ignore it at this point and just be happy I was able to still make my way into the pit. This would be the first artist truly covered today. The stage setup was immaculate. Something great about this festival is it previewed a lot of stage setups for certain artist’s upcoming tours; such as Toliver’s upcoming tour entitled The Life of Don Tour. Accompanied by a stretched limo on fire and a forest of shrooms along with a new recently released album Life of a Don - it is safe to say that the Cactus Jack signed celebrity is ready to return with a memorable tour. Whether you're a fan or not, highly recommend checking out this particular tour live if you get the chance. This performance had something for everyone consisting of both hype songs and cooled down melodies. Toliver is the type of artist who wants you to mosh then turn down with a blunt just to turn right back up again. From zero to one-hundred real quick, this artist lays all cards on the table face down continuously leaving us guessing what will come next. Infinite possibilities.
On my way to cover Megan Thee Stallion I was able to catch Purity Ring who was already in progress. Their stage setup reflected their musics atmosphere perfectly. I was highly impressed with the fog like light projection that shielded them. It was almost like a barrier. I’ve honestly never seen such a thing and I’m still wondering how they did this. The wall was literally perfect. Another notable mention was the fact that both members of Purity Ring were wearing mask while performing. A stark reminder of the current times we are still living in due to the pandemic.
It was then time for a hot girl Summer with Megan The Stallion!
Megan Thee Stallion proves time after time that she is a force to be reckoned with. She did just that closing out the BACARDI Stage as one of Friday nights headliners. A furious performance was matched with a fiery outfit. This was my 2nd time seeing Megan live but my first time photographing here. The first time I ever saw her was Astroworld 2019. I have to be honest when I say she gave a way more energized performance at Life Is Beautiful. I think this is probably because she was headlining and it was also nighttime. The energy was set to be high from the start. Not to throw shade at Astroworld, I’m literally going there this November as I do every year. Her set then was simply not a headlining set and it was during the daytime with a significantly smaller crowd. That’s not to say her performance was off, however. She’s the type of artist to always bring 100% to the performance, and I think the Vegas crowd did just that too. If hip-hop/rap is your main thing then this was your stage.
But if you prefer more laid back vibes then Tame Impala was the set for you. Although I saw this band on their last tour, I can certainly say that they did not have this magnificent stage setup. Although this was a festival the band did list it on their Slow Rush Tour dates where they debuted this floating saucer like lighting structure. They close out every night with an explosion of confetti and a cascade of different lights. Kevin Parker has tapped into peoples souls with a deep elation of passion and warmth. This was the perfect way to end the night, which Tame Impala did at 12:55 a.m. - 15 minutes after Megan The Stallion had ended her set. As confetti fell over the crowd a sense of buzz was set for the next two days. I had spent the majority of my day trying to find the correct spot or person who could give me the blue health check wristband; which again was now required for photographers to enter all photo pit areas. As I was exiting with the crowd I decided to give it one more try at an information tent I saw. Amazingly enough after telling the worker about my chaotic day she hesitantly gave me the blue wristband. I was elated. Almost couldn’t believe I finally had. I was now set for the weekend and felt like I had nothing to worry about now officially. Oh, did I mention by this point I have now lost my ID and vaccination card? Probably should have said that earlier, huh?
Yes, indeed during the chaos of trying to find this wristband I believe I lost both when I sat down on a curb to make a phone call. I got up and walked away leaving those two critical items on the ground without realizing it. My anxiety had gotten the best of me. Even though I was getting some coverage towards the end of Day 1, the thought stayed in my head that the next two days were already ruined until I got the blue wristband. I assumed my next two days would be just like Day 1 - a chase to get the blue wristband. Luckily, I got an email that night from the festival saying that if you were one of the people who had still not been able to get the blue wristband that it would be available for pickup at the box office on Day 2. This was good to know even though I now had mine. If I had to pick one thing that was a problem with this festival it would be this blue wristband situation. I wish it was easier for me to find but at the same time I understand the festival wanted it to be an easy process too. It was last minute and they had a limited amount in certain areas and some were already spoken for. But in the end everything worked out as it tends to do. We were all reminded why life is beautiful and to always keep smiling.
I wonder what Day 2 will bring….
DAY 2 - Saturday, SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
As I wake up in my Airbnb off of the Vegas strip I have a huge sense of optimism for the second day of this lively festival. Day 1 had overwhelmed me so much that I was just now realizing it as I reminisced on the first day of this three day run. I knew today was going to be different. I had the blue wristband, I also had time to truly look at the streets and compare them to the map. I tried to find shortcuts to certain stages. Paths that would be faster than walking down the main street. I learned quickly that the side rule applies everywhere. The side rule is when you walk on the left or right side of a main crowd to the front of where you are trying to go. This is how photographers usually gain access to photo pits with massive crowds. This simple strategy can be applied to walking on the sidewalk rather than walking with the crowd on the street. It usually always works. Having a clear idea of who I was going to cover was important too. As a one man team I can only be in one place at one time. I knew I would miss some sets today. So I strayed from acts I’ve photographed before. I also made a note to photograph certain acts from a distance while on my way to certain stages. I knew I had limited energy and decided the first set I would cover officially would be White Reaper. This band recently just did Lollapaloza 2021 and have been on a very succesful streak. But before I did that I spoke with more fans about the festival. I ran into a girl named Evich who had a charismatic travelr’s charm to her. A free-spirit who traveled to Vegas alone, this is what she had to say:
“For me I needed to go out and meet like-minded people and hear music live again. Music is wh
at brings us together.”
- Evich
Mowgli: So what’s your name and where are you from?
Evich: Hi I’m Evich, or Eve for short. I came all the way from Washington but I live in Arizona.
Mowgli: During a sort of post-pandemic lifestyle, this is a chaotic time. Some people don’t want to do anything, others want to do everything. It’s a weird time. What made you really want to take this trip? To take the potential risk associated?
Evich: Life is really short and we could die at any god given moment. I’m only young for so long. I really just wanted to experience why life is a beautiful bitch honestly and how I needed to not live in fear! For me I needed to go out and meet like-minded people and hear music live again. Music is what brings us together.
Mowgli: Is there anyone you came here specifically to see, like absolutely need to see?
Evich: I came here specifically for Ashnikko, Willow Smith, and Billie Eilish. And I got to see Ahnikko and Willow Smith yesterday. Honestly I felt so numb after I saw them. Just like the energy, the adrenaline rush that they have me, the zen vibes of the transparency… I can’t really even truly explain how they truly made me feel but I can’t wait to see Billie Eilish on Sunday and if I feel like how I feel now I wonder how I’m going to feel then when I see her.
Mowgli: That’s a great answer. It’s a pretty standard last question I’ve been asking everyone - why is life beautiful to you?
Evich: I like seeing the curves of peoples smile. I think life is beautiful because everyone is on their own journey; we all tend to go to a certain destination that everyone is trying to get to. We get to see all these different smiles and stories and hearing the laughter of other people at the end of the day makes life beautiful to me!
It was then off to Drama, a duo consisting of producer Na'el Shehade and vocalist/songwriter Via Rosa. I had never heard of them until now and I have to say I was very impressed for someone who photographs musicians on a regular daily basis. They even had a special surprise for the end of their set… an appearance from the legendary Blue Man Group! I have always wanted to see them. Now, thanks to Life Is Beautiful, I randomly checked that moment off of my bucket list and it was all thanks to Life Is Beautiful. Thank you LIB, thank you. You keep showing us why life is beautiful!
While waiting for Earth Gang to take the stage next I had 40 minutes about to kill. So I decided to roll the dice towards the Fremont Stage to see Yaeji whom was already killing it on stage. The Fremont stage was the place to be over the weekend if EDM and dance music is your thing. Later in the night you could expect to see heavy hitters such as Cash Cash, J.I.D., and Dillon Francis. Okay, maybe this stage wasn’t just limited to one genre of music. And that again is the beauty of this festival. The diversity put forth is abundantly amongst the festival goer at Life Is Beautiful - and that truly is beautiful.
It was now finally time for EarthGang. This is a group that I was able to photograph very close and personal at The Bluebird Theatre in Colorado a few years ago so I already knew the photos would be stellar. As photogenic as this duo is, they can also actually carry a tune if it meant saving their live’s. I HIGHLY recommend seeing this group at least once within your lifetime.
After EarthGang it was time to make my way back to the Fremont Stage again. This time for Cash Cash whom I somehow I mistook for country music stars. I realized when I arrived I was mixing them up with Locash because of the names. These artist are nothing alike, I can assure you. Cash Cash brought pyro and loaded electronic sounds to boombastically packed crowed that never seemed to leave. This stage had a dedicated crowd and I was starting to notice the same people here and there. The photos truly say it all, this stage was a space for those who wanted peace and love mixed with rage and beats at the same time.
Haim was about to take the main stage which was the Downtown Stage. The trio group of sisters has one simple message: WOMEN IN MUSIC. So what does this mean? To me it’s a statement that women belong in the music industry. I see it as more than just an album name; which by the way this group cooked that album up in quarantine at lightning speed. Haim continues to show why woman truly make the world go round. I finally had the opportunity to photograph this band. Personally, I’ve waited for this moment since they had to cancel their set at Bumbershoot 2017 due to one of the sisters being sick. My chance was lost then, but Life Is Beautiful was about to check off another bucket list item for me.
Legendary doesn’t do justice when describing this next man. Ludacris is someone even your grandparents most likely have heard of. Everyone knows about him one way or another. Whether it be from the Fast & Furious franchise or his music, everyone has come across this artist at one point or another whether they know it or not. I had covered Ludacris before at Summerfest - an 11 day music festival in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This time around though he was rocking his hair grown out loud and proud in the style of a classic afro. I had no idea his hair was this long currently honestly. I loved it. When I photographed him the first time his hair was short. Not only does it make for great photos but it shows him changing within life through physical style.
“Life has no preference on color, everyone should be treated the same. All love!”
- Paul Nuwen
Mowgli: What’s your name and where are you from?
Paul: My name’s Paul Nuwen, I’m Vietnamese - I’m from San Diego, California.
Mowgli: Wow! So you traveled a long way for this then.
Paul: I came here to see my friends in life, and to hang out. And what, what I was saying earlier was… Life has no preference on color, everyone should be treated the same. All love!
Mowgli: I love that! Who has been the best performance this weekend - is there anyone you’re looking forward to seeing?
Paul: Uhm, actually oh my Friend I met today…
Mowgli: Who was that?
Paul: It was, you… !
Mowgli: Oh brother! You’re the best!
And with that said we hugged and Paul offered to buy me a drink. I was like wow, this guy is either really drunk or really friendly! It was a bit of both I quickly realized. We both got Monacos and said cheers. Now might I say, this is absolutely the tastiest canned drink I have ever had. I’m beyond ecstatic to have discovered this brand. This is also not sponsored might I add… to this day I now drink these mainly when I drink and I don’t really drink. TO THE MONACO!!!
Mowgli: So what’s your name and where are you from?
John: John Heiro, from L.A.
Rodrigo: My name is Rodrigo and I’m from Los Angles.
Mowgli: So you came here together from Cali, pretty far. Life is beautiful, what does that mean to you?
John: You have to enjoy everyday of your life because you never know when it’s going to end!
Rodrigo: PUUURRRRR, what he said.
John: Live everyday like it’s your fucking last.
Mowgli: Who are you most excited to see and maybe you’ve already seen them, maybe they’re coming up?
Rodrigo: Okay, I’m really excited to see Fisher, the DJ, just because I LOVE house music and he’s going to be fucking bomb!
Mowgli: How about you?
John: Billie Eilish!
Rodrigo: SAME!
John: She’s a bad bitch, and her fucking music rocks.
Mowgli: Excellent, thank you for your time!
All Time Low brought Downtown Las Vegas back to a state of pure nostalgia. I felt like I was back in middle school again and it was an amazing feeling. This was a perfect way to lead into the main headliner for day 2, Green Day. THIS, was one of the main reasons I came honestly. Personally, Green Day is 100% worth going to another state for. Billy Joe did not dissapoint!
Watching a random kid get pulled on stage to play guitar on a song with Green Day was defiantly the best moment of this day. Everyone in the crowd (me included) felt so happy for that kid. You could feel it and hear it through the roars of the crowd. Billy even let the kid keep the guitar. Beyond stellar. This was a perfect set to end a perfect Day 2 which ran much smoother than Day 1. However this is the middle off the race… we still have another day left to proclaim. Rest will be your best friend after two full days of Vegas sun and festival walking. GET SLEEP. Do not go out and party or hit the casinos unless you plan on heading into the festival later in the day. And as always, stay properly hydrated.
Now, enjoy some random shots from today:
DAY 3 - Sunday, SEPTEMBER 19, 2021
You knew this day would come… you and your friends didn’t want to accept it, but now that the last day of the festival has arrived it’s clearly sinking in that this is indeed the final day. I awoke to the final day a bit disheveled. I’m sore from putting in more miles in a day than usual, and the sun burn is starting to make an appearance. Even this cannot get a good reporter down… So I thought to myself, what would my idol, Hunter S. Thompson, do in this situation? So I went to the fridge in my Airbnb and slammed a couple of cold ones. I then took another ice cold shower as my room didn’t have a working water heater. That woke me up every day good and crisp. I was now ready to face the last day of my best days of this year: the final day of Life Is Beautiful. This is what unfolded on Day 3…
I started the afternoon off with a set from Mob Rich whom were a delightful way to start the last festival day. They lead perfectly into half•alive - a band that has taken the world by storm in a very fast pace. They hype around the band was well deserved as they make for a perfect daytime band for any festival. The glasses dude was rocking were also immaculate. As well as his colorful button-up. One thing I extremely admire about festivals is that they always bring out the best fits!
It was worth it just to be here with my friends and I’ve missed dancing so much! - Brittney
Mowgli: So what’s your name, and where are you from?
Britney: I’m Brittney, BITCH, and I’m from Portland!
Mowgli: So you came a distance for this then?
Britney: Yes I did! On a plane with my friends.
Mowgli: What was the main reason you wanted to come out during all of this chaos going on in the world like the pandemic and everything - what made you overwrite this and say I’m gonna go?
Britney: I know what makes me happy and other people happy is getting to express themselves and to really experience art and their friends together, and I know it was worth it just to be here with my friends and I’ve missed dancing so much!
Mowgli: Last thing, why is life beautiful to you?
Britney: Life is beautiful because of….
Random Girl Walking By: I love your outfit! Life is beautiful!
Britney: Thank you! Haha! Uhm, just getting to experience all different kinds of people and how they get to create themselves and really just communicate through art.
Emotional Oranges gave the crowd an electric performance. The duo are not only partners in music, but partners in life as well when it comes to the game of love. You can tell this from their stage interaction alone. I personally had never heard of them or their music, so this was another cherry on top of the Sunday for me that is Life Is Beautiful. That is something else I love, you are bound to discover new music and artist that you have never been exposed to and possibly never would be had you choose to not attend that event.
Mowgli: Real quick, what’s your name and where are you from and how old are you?
Sativa: My names Sativa, I’m from Kansas City and I’m 24.
Kobe: My names Kobe, from Kansas City, 25.
Mowgli: Excellent! So you guys came quit a distance to be here then?
Sativa: Yes! We did!!!!
Mowgli: Was it worth it during a pandemic and all this chaos?
Sativa: YESSSS it definitely was! This is his first festival so…
Kobe: Yes, first ever. It’s fucking lit! I love it. Love the environment, love the people, love the music, everything’s great.
Mowgli: You’ve never been to a festival?
Kobe: NO! Never!
Mowgli: Well I think Life Is Beautiful is the perfect festival then for you.
Sativa: Perfect!
Kobe: Makes me feel like life is beautiful, that’s great! Life is amazing.
Mowgli: The message is right there in the title. I was about to ask, why is life truly beautiful to you at the end of the day?
Kobe: Because like, you know life is beautiful just because of all sort of things just like the people, environment, music, vibes, everything. It just make life amazing. Makes life great, like nothing to be sad about… shouldn’t be.
Mowgli: How about you?
Sativa: Being able to travel, experiencing things like this… like living young and wild and free THAT IS WHY life is beautiful!
Mowgli: And last but not least, what has been the absolute main highlight this weekend for you so far and maybe it hasn’t come up yet, maybe you’re expecting it to come up tonight?
Kobe: Oh me personally? YOUNG THUG. I’m waiting on that… that, that’s what I’m waiting on tonight! But every other day has been great still.
Sativa: Meg The Stallion! Or Closey. I was shaking my ass to Meg The Stallion and getting fucking down to Closey!
Still Woozy is an absolute BEAST. I’ve been lucky enough to see them multiple times but this LIB set had that extra kick to it. That festival atmosphere at sunset just can’t be beat. Perfect band to watch and listen to while the sun go down. However it was time to keep the wheels turning to the next set. I interviewed a few more fans while on my way to the next set which was someone whom I had been trying to photograph for a long time: St. Vincent.
Mowgli: So what’s your name and where are you from?
Briana Paul Mars: Briana Paul Mars and San Francisco, California.
Alissa Spageti: Alissa Spageti, from Phoenix Arizona.
George Ellia: George Ellia, Vegas local.
Mowgli: Who are you guys most excited to see? Maybe you already saw them?
Briana Paul Mars: Billie! Billie Eilish, yeah.
Mowgli: That’s why your camping it out here? And you intend to stay here all day?
Briana Paul Mars: YES!
Mowgli: And you’ve been here since 1:20??
Briana Paul Mars: I literally got here at 1:30, I’ve been waiting in line for hours.
Alissa: I’ve been here since 8 A.M. (laughs)
Mowgli: 8 A.M.?!
Alissa: Yeah… (laughs again)
Mowgli: Like in the festival?
Alissa: No outside waiting.
Mowgli: Outside waiting to get in… that’s long… and you’ve been with them too for this long?
George: I met her last Life Is Beautiful, but the last couple of days I’ve been out here as early as 8 in the morning.
Mowgli: WOW, you guys are really dedicated to being at the front of the barricade then, huh?
Brianna: Yeah, Billies great!
Mowgli: I was gonna say, is this all worth it?
Briana Paul Mars: YES!
Mowgli: And you’ve been here since 1:20??
Briana Paul Mars: I literally got here at 1:30, I’ve been waiting in line for hours.
Alissa: I’ve been here since 8 A.M. (laughs)
Mowgli: 8 A.M.?!
Alissa: Yeah… (laughs again)
Mowgli: Like in the festival?
Alissa: No outside waiting.
Mowgli: Outside waiting to get in… that’s long… and you’ve been with them too for this long?
George: I met her last Life Is Beautiful, but the last couple of days I’ve been out here as early as 8 in the morning.
Mowgli: WOW, you guys are really dedicated to being at the front of the barricade then, huh?
Brianna: Yeah, Billies great!
Mowgli: I was gonna say, is this all worth it?
Brianna: OH YEAH. She’s an amazing artist. And the way she’s on stage she will look at every single - everyone. She’ll look at everyone. Especially in the front row. And like if you show any emotions, that makes her happy. I want her to be happy so us being happy makes her happy - that’s great.
Mowgli: Have you seen her before?
Brianna: YES! She will literally go out of her way to help you if you’re like fainting, sick, she will stop the whole show to grab you and help you out.
Mowgli: That’s excellent.
Alisa: She’s awesome!
Mowgli: So what’s your name and where are you from?
Jimmy: Jimmy, from Los Angles, California.
Mowgli: So you came out here quit a ways for this then?
Jimmy: Yes, yes, yes me and a group of friends. 4 of us came out. And yeah just having a great time. This is my first time at Life Is Beautiful.
Mowgli: First time at Life Is Beautiful? That makes me want to ask, well why is life beautiful to you?
Jimmy: Why is life beautiful to me? I mean, it is! It’s like all of the people, all of the experiences, I mean like we have this beautiful sky… it’s a beautiful day. It’s HOT, but it’s fucking beautiful! Like with good vibes and good people so yeah why shouldn’t it be?
Mowgli: Absolutely. Now is there anyone you’re looking forward to seeing or maybe you already saw them?
Jimmy: I was real excited to see Megan The Stallion, Ludacris was great. Uhm today I’m excited for Still Woozy, Billie Eilish I’m really ecstatic for so yeah, yeah. I’m excited for the whole experience, festivals are always that fun vibe where you get to meet cool people and just have great experiences.
Mowgli: Any parting words of inspiration for the people?
Jimmy: Live life to the fullest - if you want to do it, do it. Experience everything.
Mowgli: I love it, and I love the sparkled beard!
Jimmy: Thank you, thank you! (laughs)
Young Thug brought the energy and production of a closer. And to think, we STILL have Billie Eilish and A$AP Rocky to go! Now Billie only allowed maybe 10 photographers in the pit. Now I’m great and so is Interracial Friends, but not competing with Times Magazine great. So it’s not unusal to get denied by bigger artist sometimes. Even taking into consideration that I met Billie and her family on her first tour ever in Denver, Colorado. So that made my planning easy in a way. I would go to A$AP Rocky since I was allowed into the photo pit for his set. Then I would go out into the jungle of the crowd to photograph Billie from a distance.
It was time to break out the big lens…
This performance was electric and I had the honor of being allowed close being in the photo pit. If you were on the railing for this set then you can attest just like I can, THAT PYRO WAS AS HOT HOT. A$AP Rocky is among one of the most well known people in the world. Everyone’s parents and their grandparents even have a strong chance of knowing/recognizing him. I photographed him very early in his career in Denver, Colorado at the Ogden Theatre. Danny Brown and Schoolboy Q opened up for him. At this point of his career A$AP Rocky is a major headliner and you can really only catch him now doing stadium shows and festivals and major venues such as Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado. Now as if that wasn’t good enough too end the night on - we still had Billie Ellis to close out the night and the final day of the festival!
