Top names for Marquee
AMAZING REACTION FROM ARTISTS
BILL BROWNE SINCE it began in 2005 the annual Live at the Marquee festival has brought some of the top acts in the world to Leeside.
A decade ago people would have laughed at the very notion of names such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Jay Z, Lady Ga Ga, Elton John and Dolly Parton playing in a tent in Cork.
What has been just as amazing with the reaction from the artists who have played the Marquee, many of whom were taken aback by the atmosphere created within the 5,000 capacity venue.
Promoter Peter Aiken said the venue did come as a surprise to some acts.
Tom Petty, who played the Marquee in 2012, among them. “This is a huge rock star that has played at big venues across the world. When he arrived at the site it was lashing rain and these was a sense of 'what's this all about, this is just a tent'“, said Peter.
The promoter said that despite the misgiving expressed by Petty and his management, he assured the singer that he and his band would get a fantastic reception.
“Sure enough, a massive roar went up when Petty walked out in front of the crowd. He looked to the side of the stage and you could tell he was clearly taken aback by the welcome he got,” said Peter.
“The atmosphere was incredible, with the audience singing along to every word of every song,” he added.
Peter said Live at the Marquee has earned an enviable reputation within the international music industry as “the one they all want to play.”
“The fact is acts know about Cork and the special vibe that the Marquee creates means they need very little persuading to come here.
Paul Weller, for example, loved his gig here in 2007 and straight away asked not if, but when, he could come back again,” said Peter.
“People like Elton John, Rod Stewart and The Who are used to playing in front of stadium-sized crowds and yet they have all been completely taken back by the sheer intensity of the Marquee atmosphere,” he added.
Peter said the manager of one act told him that he would never start off a tour in Cork again.
“When I asked him why, he said things could only go downhill from here,” he laughed.