Live and kicking at the Marquee

Justice open the summer concert series tonight, with the venue also hosting coverage of Euro 2012, says Colette Sheridan

LIVE at the Marquee, which kicks off in Cork tonight with French electronic duo, Justice, is a big logistical undertaking for promoter, Peter Aiken.

Running until Jul 6, the series of concerts, headlined by ‘Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’, takes place in the massive tent that has been used for the past eight years . This year, there will be a giant screen on which the Republic of Ireland’s matches in Euro 2012 will be shown. This is being billed as a family event, with face painters and children’s workshops taking place .

The tent measure 66 metres by 88 metres and has capacity for 5,000 people. As part of the package, the tent comes with a team of 20 men. It takes them about five days to build it and it takes two weeks on the ground to make sure everything is in place for the musical extravaganza.

Production manager of Live at the Marquee, John McGuigan, explains that for Jedward’s concerts, a double barrier system will be installed. “There’s the stage and then there’s a barrier. There will be an area for the kids and there’s a thrust ramp which comes out from the stage. This gets Jedward into the audience. Jedward played at the Marquee last year and they were a huge success. The Jedward guys are all about the fans. I’m sure they’ll do a ‘meet and greet’ with the kids again this year.”

As Aiken points out, extra security will be needed for the singing twins. “They’d do anything; they’d go on top of the tent if they could.”

Jobs for about 50 local crew workers will be provided for the duration of Live at the Marquee. In all, there will be 200 people working at the marquee every night. That includes security personnel, ushers, caterers, bartenders and crew members. Gardaí will be working both outside and inside the enclosure. Insurance for the event costs €5,000.

The artists, who also comprise Imelda May (due to give birth in August), Jessie J, The Specials, The Coronas, Christy Moore, Olly Murs, Dara O’Briain and Steps, come with their own entourages. “The sizes of the entourages vary from act to act. Because the Marquee is billed as a festival-type show, the acts know they can’t bring huge productions with them. While some bring their own productions, we have an in-house production team doing sound and lighting. The acts top that up with a floor package or some screens. There is a back stage compound which consists of dressing rooms with en suite toilets and showers. The acts demand that. We also have a suite of production offices with phones and internet access.”

McGuigan says the acts’ riders, consisting of their lists of dressing-room demands, go from modest requirements from the likes of Jedward to Tom Petty and his band, who expect to be served breakfast, lunch and dinner on site. “Tom Petty also wants all sorts of different waters and energy drinks and some things we can’t get in Ireland.”

The musicians have different transport needs. McGuigan says that last year, Elton John required an S Class Mercedes. “The likes of Tom Petty will come with a large sleeper bus. Generally, most of the acts just do their own thing, using small mini buses that can be picked up at the airport and brought to the venue and to their hotels.”

Aiken says that the artists generally stay at the Clarion Hotel and the Fota Island Resort & Spa Hotel. “They think Cork is a magnificent place and love staying here. We organise a bit of entertainment for them for after their shows.”

The football, says Aiken, “is a new departure. We will be showing the Irish games live. Nothing could compete with the matches. So we’re bringing in a big screen geared at families.”

The screen, which is HD Ready and has stereo sound, goes from the floor of the stage to the top of the Marquee, measuring eight metres high and ten metres wide. “We have a licence from UEFA to show the matches as well as a licence from RTÉ to show their commentary. There will be a great atmosphere for the kids. There will also be big ‘away’ sections so that the Croatian fans can enjoy Croatian food and do their own thing. Hopefully, if we get a good result, we’ll do the same for the Spanish and the Italians.”

In every way, it’s all to play for at the Marquee.