Review: Picture This set tone at Marquee

Kildare band Picture This lit up Cork on Wednesday night as they kicked off the 20th edition of Live at the Marquee. Performing to a sold-out crowd under the iconic big top, the Irish pop-rockers showed why they remain one of the country’s most beloved live bands.

As the first act of this year’s summer-long celebration, Picture This didn’t just open the festival — they set the bar high for every act that will follow.

Opening with fan favourite Act of Innocence, the band ignited the energy in the tent. Frontman Ryan Hennessy’s vocals were pitch-perfect and emotionally charged, while the band’s chemistry kept the performance tight and full of life.

Hennessy asked, 

“Are you ready for the best night of your lives, Cork?” 

That’s exactly what the crowd, a true cross-generational mix of teenagers and long-time listeners, got. The setlist spanned their discography, blending anthemic hits like One Drink and Addicted to You with newer material, each song met with roaring approval. The production values were top-notch, with crisp visuals and a light show that never distracted from the performance.

The stage mimicked a cozy traditional Irish pub, one that would not be out of place tucked away on a narrow street of Cork city. The rockers pulled pints as they performed while propping up the bar, creating the illusion of intimacy at a sold-out Marquee. Hennessy even recited a love poem to Cork.

Hennessy lamented: 

“These streets full of Beamish. You sing when you speak, and you speak to my heart and you mean it, And I feel it, ’cos your voice is ringing around the Marquee tonight and I swear it is hard to believe it, And I will be in no rush to be leaving, and I hope that you know when I do, I will be singing all the way to Kildare, ‘Up the Rebels and Corcaigh Abú’.”

Live at the Marquee has become a staple of the Irish summer, and it’s only fitting that it began its 20th year with a band that is a true homegrown success story.