Live at the Marquee.. the countdown is on!

If it's classic rock action you’re after you’ll get plenty of roughage from grandmasters such as Deep Purple and Megadeth. There are homegrown heroes in the form of Horslips, The Cranberries and Westlife. You can feast your ears (and eyes) on pop sensations JLS, hip hop legend Snoop, plus indie heroes new (Villagers, Grizzly Bear, Midlake, Camera Obscura), and vintage (Paul Weller, Blondie). Then there are evergreen voices like Al Green and Tony Bennett, as well as master troubadours like Christy Moore and Jackson Browne.

Truth is, it's going to be brilliant. So, as the sense of excitement grows, peruse our special Hot Press guide for all you need to know about each and every Live At The Marquee act, plus an exclusive interview with arch funny man Dara O Briain. All this, and we canvass some of the country’s leading culture vultures for their recommended highlights. The South will rise again!

Click here to download our fantastic Live at the Marquee supplement.And here's the line-up in its entirety. For more info, click on the artists' names.

Megadeth June 14, €39.50, GA & seated The American thrash metal rockers, who have to date released an impressive eighteen albums, two EPs and twenty six singles, bring their Rust in Peace 20th Anniversary Tour to the Marquee on June 14
Chris Brown June 15, €54.80, GA & seated Discovered aged 13, the controversial Brown was signed to Def Jam records, before being wooed to Jive. His latest album Graffiti debuted at No.7 in the US. He'll appear in Cork on June 15.
JLS June 16 & 17 €33.60, GA, sold out The UK four-piece were runners up in 2008's X Factor show. Though singer Alexandra Burke was crowned the show's winner, JLS released their debut album in 2009, the sales of which earned the foursome a BRIT award. They will appear at Cork's Marquee on June 16.
Al Green & Michael McDonald June 19, €40 - €60, GA & seated One of the biggest selling gospel and soul stars of the '70s performs with a staple of US FM radio soft rock on June 19. Green is loved for hits like 'Let's Stay Together', while McDonald originally established himself with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers before forging a solo career in the 1980s
Kenny Rogers June 20, €40 - €65.70, GA & seated A pop-country superstar, Rogers has also proved himself a formidable business entrepreneur, actor and photographer. The singer has scored an whopping 73 hit singles across a variety of genres over the course of his career. He will play at the Marquee on June 20.
Jackson Browne & David Lindley June 23, €35 - €54.80, GA & seated Browne, the elder statesman of the American protest song, is loved for his intelligent, thoughtful albums, often showcasing an explicitly political slant. 2008's Time the Conquerer is the singer's first studio album of new songs in six years. He'll be joined on June 23 by David Lindley.
Blondie June 24 - €49.20, GA & seated One of the New Wave’s most commercially successful act's, Blondie was distinguished by style icon Debbie Harry’s bittersweet vocals. The band was loved for hits like 'Heart Of Glass', which was a global hit, hitching Spector pop to disco beats and streetwise suss. Debbie & co will appear at the Marquee on June 24.
Harmonic: Grizzly Bear, Midlake, Camera Obscura & Villagers June 25 - €35.00, GA It's shaping up to be a veritable World Cup of indie-rock at the Marquee as Grizzly Bear, Midlake, Villagers and Camera Obscura come together under the Harmonic banner on June 25.
Horslips June 26, €50 - €54.80, GA & seated Less a rock band than a Stonehenge-sized landmark in Irish cultural mythology, Horslips emerged from the late '60s freak scene proffering a fascinating hybrid of traditional Irish music, prog rock, glam flash and pretty much everything but the kitchen sink.
Paul Weller June 27, €40 - €52.80, GA & seated A lot of 51-year-old rock stars would be happy to rest on their musical laurels, but not Paul Weller whose new album has been hailed by many – Hot Press included – as his masterpiece.
The Cranberries June 29, €54.80, GA & seated Formed in Limerick in 1989, The Cranberries' found fame with the release of debut Everybody Else Is Doing It, Why Can't We?. Four albums and some time apart later, the band reunited last year, and will take to the Marquee's stage on June 29.
Deep Purple June 30, €50 - €65.70, GA & seated If you're talking classic heavy rock, it doesn't get any heavier, rockier, or, er, classic than the Purps. The group, who were once listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's loudest band, play the Marquee on June 30.
Dara O Briain July 1, €33.60 seated, July 2, sold out Funny man O Briain visits Cork's Marquee on July 1 as part of a major nationwide tour, which includes several dates at Dublin's Vicar Street too. He talks to Anne Sexton about touring, his recent book, and how he plans to infiltrate Snoop Dogg's hot tub...
Christy Moore & Declan Sinnott July 3, €30 - €45.00, seated The Moore-Sinnott axis played Live At The Marquee last year to considerable acclaim, so it's no surprise they're back this year to lift spirits and inspire. In fact, this will be trad legend Christy's sixth year playing Live At The Marquee.
Snoop Dogg July 5, €30 - €39.20, GA & seated Snoop Dogg, born Cordozar Calvin Broadus, came to prominence as one of the most distinctive voices on the early '90s West Coast hip hop scene. A protégé of producer Dr Dre, Snoop is loved for hits like 'What's My Name', 'Beautiful' and 'Drop It Like It's Hot'.
Westlife July 6 & 7, €54.80, GA & seated, sold out Twelve years into their astonishing career and pop sensations Westlife are still breaking records. The band's debut album alone produced the band's first five UK number one singles and went fifteen times platinum in Ireland with sales of over 225,000. Along with a Croke Park show this summer, the foursome will appear at the Marquee on July 6 & 7.
Tony Bennett July 8, €65.70, seated Over six decades, Tony Bennett has had a major influence on countless singers across various genres, including, notably, Elvis Costello and k d lang. The singer, who plays the Marquee on July 8, has won no less than fifteen Grammys, and his total record sales exceed 50 million.
Madness July 9, €59.80, GA & seated After early incarnations as The Invaders and Morris and the Minors, Madness hit the charts on the back of the ska boom and Two Tone movement in the early '80s, with singles like 'My Girl', 'Baggy Trousers', 'Embarrassment', and 'House of Fun.' Suggs and co will take to the Marquee's stage on July 9.
Mamma Mia! July 20 - August 1. Evening shows: €44.20 - €65.70. Matinee shows: €39.20 - €59.80 Mamma Mia! is a fun-filled musical built around the poptabulous hit songs of the amazing Abba. The show, which was adapted for the big screen in 2008, makes its Cork debut on July 20, and runs til August 1.