Acts due to perform at the Marquee in the coming weeks include Hall and Oates, Kris Kristofferson, Toto, David Gray, Tommy Tiernan, Bros, Christy Moore and Nathan Carter.

Wild Rose looks like being a breakthrough role for Jessie Buckley, and the Kerry actress has a string of other big projects in the pipeline, writes Esther McCarthy.

Now that the line-up for Electric Picnic has been released, it’s time to finalise your plans for a busy season of music events, writes Ed Power.

Rory Nolan is from Co Wicklow. He plays Ross O’Carroll Kelly in the stage show Postcards from the Ledge, with upcoming dates including Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire, Feb 5-9; UCH, Limerick, Feb 12-16; and Cork Opera House, Feb 19-23, writes Des O'Driscoll.

Fiona Kennedy came to prominence in the late 1980s as the winner of ‘Screen Test’, writes Don O’Mahony

Oscar-winning director Michael Cimino, whose film The Deer Hunter became one of the great triumphs of Hollywood’s 1970s heyday and whose disastrous Heaven’s Gate helped bring that era to a close, has died.

Singer-songwriter Rita Coolidge was at her peak in the 1970s. Though her marriage to Kris Kristofferson was marred by his boozing, the recent murder of her sister has hurt her most, says Hannah Stephenson.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

As she gets ready to play in Ireland, Rita Coolidge tells Ed Power about her marriage to Kris Kristofferson, and how the idealism of the 1960s soon gave way to something more sinister

References to "losing hair" and "wasting away" in The Beatles' classic When I'm Sixty-four could be having a "detrimental" effect on the health of the elderly, researchers have said.

JOHN P Quinlan is from Macroom, and founded the Vangard Gallery in Cork in 1991. He is in the midst of a nine-month stint as guest curator at Triskel in Cork.

Willy Vlautin has been busy of late. His fourth novel The Free was recently published by Faber & Faber, to widespread critical acclaim.

The Beatles have been honoured with a lifetime achievement award at a star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles.

At 88, the iconic theatre’s barmaid tells Margaret Carragher about the many stars she met, and how she bizarrely hid eight kids from the boss

There’s no faulting the ambition of JJ Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness (12A).

Set largely during a blizzard along the Michigan-Canadian border, ‘Deadfall’ sends a chill of disappointment down the spine.

Bob Geldof is to be reunited with the Boomtown Rats for the first time in more than 25 years at a UK festival this summer.

Levi Strauss’s arrival in the US, 160 years ago this week, was to change fashion forever. And it all began with a tent, says John Daly

Beyonce Knowles has pulled out of 'A Star is Born'.

Beyonce Knowles will voice Queen Tara in animated movie 'Epic'.

Tom Cruise is being lined up for a role in 'A Star Is Born'.

Rihanna was a "natural" in 'Battleship'.

Based on a remarkable real story, Winter the dolphin has succeeded where many animals have fallen short, successfully stealing the spotlight away from screen stars Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr and Kris Kristofferson.

THE injured dolphin they called Winter couldn’t have come along at a better time for Florida’s Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Beyonce Knowles' pregnancy could delay production on 'A Star Is Born'.

Johnny Cash's childhood home is being restored and turned into a museum.

Slash and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea will both appear on Ronnie Wood’s solo album.

Fast Food Nation (Tartan, €24.99) should turn you off burgers, or else cause you to reassess your diet.

“MOVING” was how legendary singer Kris Kristofferson described it and the thousands who gathered at the Midlands Music Festival this weekend probably agreed with him.

Last minute touches are being put in place for the Midlands Music Festival, which kicks off today in Belvedere House.

A MOST unusual annual phenomenon occurs in the village of Lahardane, at the butt of Nephin along the shore of Lough Conn in Co Mayo: the bell at St Patrick’s church rings out across the silent countryside between 2am and 3am on April 15 in remembrance of those lost with the Titanic 500 miles west of Newfoundland at that time and on that date 95 years ago this spring.

THE home of late country music legend Johnny Cash in Nashville, Tennesee, has burned to the ground in a fire likely fuelled by renovation materials.

The line-up has been announced for this year's Midlands Music Festival in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

ONE of the best known names in broadcasting Larry Gogan is to leave weekday radio after 45 years, it was revealed yesterday.

One of the best known names in broadcasting Larry Gogan is to leave weekday radio after 45 years, it was revealed today.

A forgotten Johnny Cash concert from 13 years ago is to be released on DVD this month.

Avril Lavigne has signed up to make her acting debut in a screen adaptation of Eric Schlosser's bestselling expose Fast Food Nation.

So curious is this film that it deserves to succeed. That it succeeds only to some degree is a pity since the performances - particularly that of Brody - are uniformly excellent.

Teenage British soul star Joss Stone and Melissa Etheridge electrified the Grammys audience with a gritty tribute to Janis Joplin.

THE Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney, and River Apartments will be available on limited offer for the attractive price of €99 per person sharing for two nights bed and breakfast deals throughout this year.

SHERYL CROW, Bryan Adams and Kris Kristofferson can sleep soundly.

IT was a weekend for the purist and pop idol alike — a feast of music for everyone from groupies to grannies, rock babes to folkies.

UP to 100,000 people are expected to attend the third annual Summerfest in Killarney, Co Kerry, which runs for the next 10 days.