Apple Music festival London 2016

When you think of London in the late summer, what comes to mind? Here We’re talking about the Apple Music Festival, and if you haven’t heard of it, it’s quite possible you’ve been living under a rock. The Apple Music Festival has long been a marvel in high-energy entertainment. Since 2007, the Apple Music has been bringing 10 days of amazing performances to UK residents lucky enough to get tickets, and broadcasting performances live over Apple Music and iTunes to the entire world. The festival is hosted in the London Roundhouse, and brings some of the best names in music to the stage.

What makes this festival so unique is the ticketing structure and the global broadcast. Since the release of Apple Music last year, the ability to watch the performances through both iTunes and Apple Music has expanded the viewer base exponentially. In the last few months alone, the number of paid subscribers to Apple Music has jumped to 13 million, and it can be expected that a large portion of those subscribers will be tuning into the festival come September. The lineup for this year hasn’t been announced yet, but previous years have seen some of the top musicians in the world grace the festival stage.

• Part 1. How to Get an Apple Music Festival Ticket
• Part 2. Tips for Apple Music festival 2016

Part 1. How to Get an Apple Music Festival Ticket?

In order to get tickets to the festival, you must reside in the UK and be an Apple Music, or iTunes user. The tickets are given out for free through a lottery. Apply for tickets through the iTunes store or on the Apple Music app, and once you’ve gotten an email confirmation, you’ll just have to wait and see if your number is picked. They start notifying the winners in August and only allow a maximum of 72 hours for any winners to respond, so check your email regularly. If you get the opportunity to go, you don’t want to miss it.

There’s no legitimate way to buy the tickets, so if you come across a guy who’s selling them at exorbitant prices, back away slowly. If you aren’t one of the lucky numbers that get a ticket to the festival or you don’t live in the UK, don’t worry too much about it. The concerts are streamed live and can be downloaded for free on Apple Music or iTunes for a short time after the festival. There will also be behind-the-scenes backstage footage, as well as news regarding the festival, so if you’ve got an Apple TV, plan to have a fantastic night watching the HD performances and getting the inside scoop.

Some of you might be concerned that such a huge event is taking place in such an old, historically important venue. Apple has been committed over nearly the last decade to ensure that the integrity of the building is maintained, and respect the venue for its historical and cultural value. They’ve even worked with the Roundhouse staff to implement restoration plans and update the stage equipment over the last few years. It’s certainly a cool way to make sure that people from all over the UK can enjoy the event and the venue for years to come.

Part 2. Tips for Apple Music festival 2016

In order to ensure that your night is the best you’ve ever had, here are a few tips and tricks that’ll keep things running smoothly:

What happens if you get a ticket?

Pick a friend, and plan to have the most fun you’ve had all year. There’s no parking at the Roundhouse, and parking around the building can be an absolute nightmare, so your best bet is to take public transport to the venue. The Chalk Farm stop on the Northern Line is just blocks away from the venue, and will make your trip to the best night of your life just a little bit easier.

What happens if the show gets cancelled?

Sometimes shows need to be cancelled, and unfortunately due to the unique nature of the festival, those days will not be rescheduled, and tickets can’t be transferred to another night. Though there’s little chance of that happening, but keep your ears open for any news in the event of a cancellation.

When can you arrive?

The doors open at 6 p.m. on the night of the show, and the earlier you arrive, the better chance you have of getting in to see your favorite performers. They can’t guarantee that you’ll get in if you arrive later than 8 p.m., so plan ahead. If you’re bringing a guest, make sure that the two of you arrive together. A photo I.D. must be shown at the door with your ticket, and you’ll need to designate to the ticket-takers who your guest is in order for them to get in. If you arrive separately and your guest isn’t holding the ticket, they won’t be able to experience this once-in-a-lifetime event.

The performances are scheduled to start 8 p.m., and performances are pretty loose - there’s not concrete set times, only general blocks of time for each performer. Some performances may run over what they’re scheduled, but that adds to the amazing experience, so enjoy it!

Need an ATM? Try planning ahead.

To avoid a long queue at any one of the limited number of ATMs around the venue, remember to think ahead and come prepared. That way you’re not missing your favorite artists and you’ll be able to enjoy the night.

Keep it clean, don’t be mean, and have a good time.

While we always love to be the life of the party, it’s never a good thing to let that lead into violence. If you’re trying to rabble-rouse, or the staff at the Roundhouse think you’re having a little too much fun, then they reserve the right to kick you out. Don’t ruin yours or anyone else’s night - have fun and help keep the night from turning into a nightmare.

The Apple Music Festival is such a unique experience for UK music fans. The exclusive feeling of winning the tickets makes you feel like a VIP for the night as you’re listening to your favorite artists. Apple’s great broadcasting system means that those who can’t see the show at the Roundhouse still get to see great performances from world-class artists from the comfort of their living rooms. So if you haven’t already, head over to iTunes and Apple Music and submit your name in the lottery. Who knows? You might get lucky.