The third annual Life is Beautiful music & art festival is about to descend on downtown Las Vegas this weekend (Sept. 25-27), and although I did write about it for a Vegas website, I’m not entirely sure if I’ll be there (because I did not buy tickets). It’s a pretty good lineup, depending on how choosy your musical tastes run: Stevie Wonder, Imagine Dragons, Duran Duran, Weezer, Death Cab for Cutie, plus all sorts of local restaurants, guest speakers, local artists, etc. etc. (read the article, duh).

One band you won’t see at Life is Beautiful is MOONBOOTS. I know, I know, that’s just as crazy as it sounds. Las Vegas’ premier alternative rock band isn’t performing at Life is Beautiful? It’s true. BUT. We are playing BEFORE Life is Beautiful. Twice.

First, a one-song live performance on this week’s Downtown Podcast, which is recorded before a live studio audience at 9 p.m. Thursday inside Inspire Theatre downtown. You can come to the theater to watch the entire taping (digitizing?) for free, listen to it however one listens to podcasts, or watch it online at the Downtown Podcast’s YouTube channel.

Then, on Sunday afternoon just before the third day of Life is Beautiful, we’ll be playing a full set along with DJ Ultra and Jesse Pino at the Gold Spike (just outside of the festival “footprint”). The free event starts at 11 a.m., we go on at noon, and I think you probably need to be 21. But if you’re going to LiB, swing by Gold Spike first for grub and free rock music!