Beck and Goulding added to Marquee bill

Grammy-award winning singer Beck and chart topper Ellie Goulding have been added to the Live at the Marquee bill in Cork.

Promoter Peter Aiken made the announcement yesterday ahead of the 11th staging of the music festival in the city’s docklands over five weeks in June and July.

He said he expects to add at least two more acts in the coming weeks, bringing to over 25 the total number of shows this year, which will boost the local economy by some €10m.

“It’s going to be one of our biggest yet,” Mr Aiken said.

“When you think back to the first Live at the Marquee in 2005 when we staged 11 shows — now we’re up to 26 or 27. It’s incredible.

“I don’t think there is any city in the world that would have so many concerts of national and international acts in such a short space of time.”

It will be Beck’s first show in Cork. Hailed as one of the most creative and distinctive musicians of his time, he won three Grammys earlier this month — including the coveted Album of the Year award for Morning Phase.

Ellie Goulding’s latest single, ‘Love Me Like You Do’, features in 50 Shades of Grey and has become the most streamed track in a single week and its video has almost 100m views on YouTube.

Beck and Goulding join a bill which includes five Riverdance shows, Billy Idol, The Coronas, Nathan Carter, Grammy winner John Legend, Kodaline, Lionel Richie, The Waterboys, Dara Ó Briain, Van Morrison, The Frames, Status Quo, and Damien Rice. Christy Moore will play his 11th Live at the Marquee concert.

Mr Aiken, who brought Bruce Springsteen to Cork’s Páirc uí Chaoimh in 2013, said he hopes to stage at least two major concerts a year when the stadium is redeveloped.

And he hinted even when the 6,000-seat event centre is built in the city, Live at the Marquee will stay in the docklands.

“There is a unique atmosphere there and I don’t know if that can be replicated in an arena,” he said.

Tickets for Beck’s June 16 gig go on sale next Friday and for Ellie Goulding’s June 24 gig next Thursday.

See: www.aikenpromotions.com  or www.ticketmaster.ie .