ITunes Festival in London

Posted by Ash K on Friday, August 10, 2012 0

This September sees the iTunes Festival return to London for 30 nights of free live music, and there’s no better time to see the capital itself.

The iTunes Festival is something of an oddity in the festival calendar. But with 60 acts playing free gigs across 30 nights it’s more than a welcome one. Forget the high prices and muddy fields that are on offer elsewhere, this September London is the only place to be,offering plenty to make your stay for a celebration of all things musical.

The action begins at the start of September when Usher takes to the stage at The Roundhouse in Camden, with a diverse range of artists following him as the festival progresses. Ed Sheeran, deadmau5, David Guetta and Andrea Bocelli are among the acts confirmed so far with more to be announced in the coming weeks.

As for scooping up those tickets, unfortunately it isn’t just a case of turning up at the door. Apple, the event’s sponsors, are giving them away online through a series of competitions whilst also airing the shows on iTunes and Apple TV.

However for those fortunate enough to win, it’s the perfect opportunity to check out the best that London has to offer. Search online for the best London hotel deals and your stay needn’t be that expensive, leaving you with plenty of leftover cash to really treat yourself to a city break.

In keeping with the musical theme, you could head along to the British Music Experience, one of the city’s most anticipated new attractions. For decades the UK has produced some of the world’s most popular musicians – many of them who will be performing at the iTunes festival itself – and this new attraction charts the development of the British music industry from the early days of The Beatles right up to the present era.

After that, why not head over to Abbey Road to recreate that classic Beatles album cover? Yes, it’s silly, but everybody does it so there’s no need to feel embarrassed. Right next door is Abbey Road Studios, a must-see Mecca for any fan of British music.

Then there’s that other great London music scene, centred in the West End theatre heartland. The city is famous around the world for the quality of its shows, and when it comes to big budget productions there are plenty to choose from.

Fans of classic artists may want to hunt around for cheap theatre tickets to We Will Rock You, based on the music of Queen, or for Mamma Mia! which uses the music of Abba. Alternatively, why not celebrate the life of the King of Pop himself, Mr Michael Jackson, by going to see Thriller – Live?

 Other hot shows on the West End this year include a host of favourites, from The Lion King and Shrek to Les Misérables and Stomp. So don’t be shy, be sure to enter the iTunes Festival prize draw and see if London strikes the right note with you.