Celebrating its 43rd season on public television, Austin City Limits partners with Google’s Daydream team and virtual reality content producers SubVRsive to create ACL Backstage, an immersive 10-part VR series that brings new and exclusive premium performances and behind-the-scenes content to viewers everywhere. Now the longest running music show in television history, the lauded PBS television program remains committed to using cutting edge technology to bring live music performance to fans. Premiering November 16, ACL Backstage offers viewers amazing, only-in-VR moments straight from the current season. Get closer than front row seats with intimate performances and personal interviews from favorite superstars like Ed Sheeran and Zac Brown Band and many more.
The series tells the story of the musicians, the crew, the city, and the fans that make it all possible – all in virtual reality. Unparalleled access gives an up-close look at some of the season’s most iconic performances and takes viewers backstage to hear from the artists before they step under the lights at Austin City Limits studio home: ACL Live at the Moody Theater in downtown Austin. Stay tuned for 360° from a slate of stellar acts showcased in ACL’s new season: Father John Misty, Run the Jewels, Dan Auerbach and more highlights.
The first three episodes feature pop superstar Ed Sheeran, Southern country-rock band Zac Brown Band and the unsung heroes of ACL for four decades – our crew.
ACL Backstage premieres on Nov. 16 on ACL’s YouTube channel. While anyone can watch on YouTube, the content is even more immersive when viewed in Daydream or Cardboard. The trailer is available below or here. Additional episodes will be released in January 2018.
ACL Backstage is hosted and directed by Nathan Christ, an award-winning filmmaker and director of acclaimed documentary Echotone, which explored music culture in Austin. The series is produced by SubVRsive, an Emmy-nominated XR company based in Austin, TX that focuses on creating impactful 360 Video, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality experiences.
About Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits (ACL) offers viewers unparalleled access to featured acts in an intimate setting that provides a platform for artists to deliver inspired, memorable, full-length performances. The program is taped live before a concert audience from The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL is the longest-running music series in television history and remains the only TV series to ever be awarded the National Medal of Arts. Since its inception, the groundbreaking music series has become an institution that’s helped secure Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World. The historic KLRU Studio 6A, home to 36 years of ACL concerts, has been designated an official Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark. In 2011, ACL moved to the new venue ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin. ACL received a rare institutional Peabody Award for excellence and outstanding achievement in 2012.
ACL is produced by KLRU-TV and funding is provided in part by Dell, the Austin Convention Center Department, Shiner Beers and HomeAway.com. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Austin City Limits. Learn more about Austin City Limits, programming and history at acltv.com.
About SubVRsive
SubVRsive is an Emmy-nominated XR company based in Austin, TX focused on creating impactful 360 Video, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality experiences for brands and agencies. Partnering with renowned directors, producers, content creators and developers at the forefront of the medium, SubVRsive has created captivating interactive experiences for some of the world’s leading brands and media companies, including Lionsgate Entertainment, Procter & Gamble, and Showtime Networks. Read more at www.subvrsive.com.