Apple to stream SXSW music event via iTunes Festival for the first time

Apple announced that its iTunes Festival service will be streaming a five-day music event during this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Tex.

The iTunes Festival service is a streaming video player across all of Apple’s devices that has only broadcast live performances via a music event in London since launching back in 2007.

Today’s announcement marks the first time Apple has expanded iTunes Festival, as well as Apple’s first attempt at doing anything with the huge live music scene in Austin.

“The iTunes Festival in London has become an incredible way for Apple to share its love of music with our customers,” said Apple SVP of Internet services Eddy Cue in a statement.

“We’re excited about the incredible lineup of artists performing and SXSW is the perfect place to debut the first iTunes Festival in the U.S..”

The Apple-run event will take place over five days (Mar. 11-15) in the Moody Theater, the same location where the city’s local PBS affiliate airs the Austin City Limits live music show.

The iTunes Festival at SXSW will feature a variety of musical acts, including Coldplay, Keith Urban, Imagine Dragons, Pitbull, ZEDD, Austin local Willie Nelson, and others.