YouTube to live stream Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits to US fans

(AFP/Timothy A. CLARY)

On July 22, YouTube announced its plans to live stream Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, two of the summer's largest festivals in the US.

YouTube has previously streamed festivals such as Tennessee's Bonnaroo, San Francisco's Outside Lands and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Southern California.

While so far it seems the webcast will only be available to music fans in the US, the new deal with YouTube indicates the company's growing interest in broadcasting mega-festivals digitally. "YouTube starts to look like a TV network," noted American ad trade journal Adweek on the webcast news. About 72 million people reportedly tuned in to watch YouTube's webcast of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.

Chicago's Lollapalooza, now in its 20th year, takes place August 5-7. YouTube didn't detail which acts will be streamed, but top performers at the event include Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse, Cee Lo Green.

Held in the Texas capital, Austin City Limits is celebrating its 10th anniversary and runs September 16-18. Major acts include Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, Arcade Fire, Coldplay, and My Morning Jacket.

The Lollapalooza YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/lollapalooza
Austin City Limits on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/austincitylimits

Lollapalooza website: http://www.lollapalooza.com
Austin City Limits website: http://www.aclfestival.com