Apple Music has announced it is sponsoring a concert at the O2 Academy Brixton in London, UK starring artist Anderson .Paak on March 13, with tickets for the one-night-only event being made available free of charge from Friday morning -- but don't plan on using your iPhone in the venue.
Announced through the Apple Music Twitter account, the Anderson .Paak and The Free Nationals "One Night Only" performance is being presented by Dr. Dre, with the marketing showing its association with Apple Music, Beats, and Beats One station. The show will be held at the O2 Academy Brixton in south London, a well-known concert venue known for its musical and comedy performances.
Tickets for the event will be available via Ticketmaster starting from 9am local time (4am Eastern) on March 9, with orders limited to two tickets per person. Attendees must be aged over 16 to be admitted, with photographic ID required not only to get into the event itself, but will be required by those aged under 25 to purchase alcohol at the bar.
While it is an Apple-sponsored event, attendees will not be able to use their iPhones or Apple Watches during the performance. The booking site advises "Upon arrival, all phones and smartwatches will be secured in Yondr pouches that will be unlocked at the end."
The performance will start at 7pm local time on Tuesday, March 13, and though there is no word on how long the concert will last, there is a curfew for those under the age of 25 taking place at 11pm.
Anderson .Paak has recently featured in Apple's marketing for the HomePod, in a four-minute advertisement by acclaimed director Spike Jonze and starring English performer FKA Twigs. Accompanying Twigs' dancing is "Till It's Over" by Anderson .Paak, played through Apple's smart speaker accompanied by dreamlike visuals.
The free-to-attend performance is the first of its kind since Apple discontinued its annual UK music festival, most recently known as the Apple Music Festival. At the time it was confirmed the festival was ending, it was speculated Apple would instead focus on tour sponsorships, one-off shows, and smaller gigs featuring upcoming artists.