Mikey Campbell
Apple on Wednesday revealed more information about its upcoming Apple Music Festival slated to kick off later this month, adding The Weeknd, The Chemical Brothers, James Bay, Leon Bridges and Take That to the list of artists set to perform live in front of UK fans.
Apple Music announced the lineup additions on Twitter, promising that more information regarding showtimes would be provided soon. It appears that The Weeknd, The Chemical Brothers and Take That will get separate sets, while James Bay is slated to join already-announced entertainer Pharrell on stage. Leon Bridges is sharing the stage with Florence + The Machine.
The upcoming event, which previously packed in an entire month's worth of shows as the iTunes Festival, has been trimmed down to ten days spanning Sept. 19 through Sept. 28 and renamed Apple Music Festival in acknowledgement of Apple's streaming music service release. For years fans knew the annual event as the "iTunes Festival." Unchanged, however, is the venue at London's historic Roundhouse.
Apple has collaborated with a number of high-profile performers in launching Apple Music and a few, including Pharrell and now The Weeknd, have signed on to Apple's free concert series. On a related note, The Weeknd was featured in Apple Music's two-part television commercial that aired during MTV's Video Music Awards this past weekend.
Beats 1 will provide coverage of the festival when it kicks off later this month, while fans can follow a special Apple Music Festival page on Connect for lineup updates, announcements and behind-the-scenes photos and video.
Like the former iTunes Festival, Apple is handing out tickets through media partners in the UK, which this year includes the London Evening Standard. Those who can't make it in person can stream the festivities live via Apple Music or iTunes on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and PC. Apple TV owners get direct access to high definition set replays, though there has been no word on live performances.
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Amber Neely
1 Comment
Wow, the silence here is deafening...
I don't get it either. Last year they had such a great and diverse lineup, and this year, just when you would expect them to put a shining light on their lukewarm new service, they have this? Weepers, whiners, a geriatric boygroup, a hat stand with a Mickey Mouse voice, and a a distinctly un-funky Jamiroquai impersonator with bad hair day... Not impressed. Not even for free.