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New Life is Beautiful festival offshoot debuts in downtown Vegas

It made sense that they took the stage backed by Judas Priest levels of Marshall stacks behind them.

When Parisian electro duo Justice last played Life is Beautiful in 2018, they delivered dance music with heavy metal thunder, uniting the once-warring factions of disco and prog rock with a performance that intermingled the latter’s far-out, experimental synth sounds with the former’s limber bass lines and splashy rhythms.

Think of it as electronic funk as full-contact sport, enhanced with a light show that would have had Rush taking notes.

Six years later, Justice return to christen the debut of A Big Beautiful Block Party, a Life is Beautiful offshoot that takes over a portion of the Plaza grounds today and Saturday.

With seven acts performing on two stages, there will be no overlapping set times. Expect nonstop music from the likes of indie electronic favorite Jamie xx, fellow British DJ-producer James Blake, L.A. alt-pop duo Neil Frances, piano house star LP Giobbi, Spanish house DJ John Talabot and dream pop chanteuse Empress Of.

Contact Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow @jbracelin76 on Instagram.

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