With 600 seats, 48 speakers surrounding the audience, and more than 16 permanently wired cameras, Apple has opened its own concert hall in London. Performers leave with a finished recording, a broadcast-ready mix, and a multi-camera video.
The Apple Music Hall is located in Battersea Power Station on the Thames, the former coal-fired power station where Apple has operated its UK headquarters since 2023, with the Apple Battersea store directly below. Apple announced the hall in a statement on its Newsroom.
Apple's connection to live music in London is nothing new. The iTunes Festival, later the Apple Music Festival, ran in the city for years and celebrated its tenth anniversary at the Roundhouse in 2016. This time, however, Apple isn't building a festival in other venues, but rather its own hall and studios for its own streaming service.
Key Facts at a Glance
- The Apple Music Hall has a capacity of 600 guests and is located in the Battersea Power Station in London.
- A stage measuring almost 11.6 meters in width and a sound system with 48 speakers are designed for 3D audio.
- Two studios and a control room for more than 16 cameras turn every concert into a finished production.
- The performances will be broadcast worldwide via livestream; Apple Music Radio's London broadcasts will now also originate from Battersea.
A small hall equipped with the technology of an arena
Apple describes the arena as deliberately small: every seat is meant to be close to the stage, but the technology is designed to meet the needs of an artist for an arena tour. The stage is 38 feet wide, or just under 11.6 meters, and can be reconfigured for classic frontal performances as well as for concerts where the audience stands all around.
The sound system consists of 48 speakers distributed around the audience. When an artist performs in 3D audio, the audience hears the performance spatially. Architecturally, the hall echoes the power plant, with brickwork, fluted arches, and bronze balconies. A large glass wall offers a view of the building's hall and the river.
Behind the stage, a production facility
Behind the stage are two professional-grade recording and mixing studios. Every performance can be recorded as a multi-track recording and mixed in 3D audio, live or afterward. In addition, there is a dedicated control room for more than 16 permanently wired cameras, which can accommodate both traditional broadcast cameras and iPhone footage simultaneously.
According to Apple, an artist leaves the venue after a single evening with a finished 3D audio recording, a broadcast-ready mix, and a multi-camera video.
New studios for Apple Music Radio
Along with the new hall, Apple has also opened new radio studios in Battersea. All of Apple Music Radio's London-based presenters and programs will now broadcast live from there. The radio offering also includes Apple Music 1, formerly Beats 1. Apple Music Radio broadcasts 24/7 and, according to Apple, is free to listen to worldwide, including in German-speaking countries without a subscription.
Tickets and dates for upcoming concerts are available via the website applemusichall.com as well as via the venue's channels on Instagram and TikTok.
More studio than concert hall
Two studios and a control room for a 600-seat hall illustrate the concept. We therefore see the Apple Music Hall primarily as a production facility: Every performance yields 3D audio and video recordings that Apple can distribute worldwide via its streaming service. The hall serves as the stage; the real value is generated behind the scenes.
For music fans in German-speaking countries, this is better news. A ticket for a 600-seat concert hall in London remains a matter of luck, but the live streams and subsequent recordings are intended for everyone who can't be there in person.
Would you travel to London for a show in front of just 600 people – or is a 3D audio livestream from your sofa enough for you? Let us know in the comments which artist would entice you to go.
