Skillet and Third Day to bring multiple genres to Cape area

The Show Me Center will host to an incredibly distinct group of performers on March 2. The Spring 2014 Tour will include genres from bouncy pop to rock and metal. However, each of these artists share one thing in common: they are all Christian-based. The tour is co-headlined by Skillet and Third Day.

Skillet is a Christian rock/metal band. Since forming in Memphis, Tenn., in 1996, Skillet has released nine albums. It has been nominated 19 times for a GMA Dove Award, which recognizes Christian and gospel music.

Skillet has also been Grammy-nominated twice for "Best Rock Gospel Album."

In 2012, Skillet's album "Awake" was one of the three rock albums that became certified platinum that year. The other two albums certified included the Black Keys' "El Camino" and Mumford & Sons' "Babel."

The second co-headliner, Third Day, is also a Christian rock group. Third Day formed in 1991 and has since released 11 albums. In the last decade alone, the band has sold more than seven million albums, received 24 GMA Dove Awards, four Grammy Awards and an American Music Award. It has also been featured on the cover of Billboard magazine.

Special guests to the Spring 2014 Tour are Jamie Grace and Morgan Harper Nichols. Both are Christian pop artists as well as sisters who form a duo known as Harper Still. Former Newsboys front-man Peter Furler will be performing in this tour as well. Also performing is the band We As Human, which shares a similar musical style with Skillet.

Third Day and Jamie Grace are not new to the Show Me Center stage. Jamie Grace was a part of TobyMac's "Hits Deep" Tour, which came to the Show Me Center in December.

According to the Show Me Center's marketing director, Josh Hanlon, this set of bands was chosen for two reasons.

The first reason they were chosen is that they're expected to bring in a large crowd. After being pleased with the turnout at the "Hits Deep" concert, the promoter for that tour decided to bring another "package" to Cape Girardeau. The second reason is that some of these artists, such as Skillet and We As Humans, have fan bases outside of the Christian community, which can potentially increase sales and diversify the audience.

Several students have expressed excitement for this upcoming concert.

"I'm excited to see Jamie Grace," said Molly Whitener, a member of Southeast Missouri State University's Baptist Student Union. "I haven't heard much by her, so I think this will be a good opportunity to check out some new songs."

Southeast freshman Hunter Seyer said he is most excited to see Skillet.

"They really put on a good show, and they bring a lot of energy to the concert as well," Seyer said.

General admission tickets for this event start at $20 and go up to $36. VIP packages cost $99 and include a meet and greet with Skillet and Third Day, an autographed photo and reserved floor seats in the first five rows.

The Student Activities Council is offering a $20 discount to the first 150 Southeast students to purchase tickets. To receive this discount, students are asked to bring their student IDs to the Show Me Center box office and limit one ticket per ID.

Tickets can be purchased at the Show Me Center box office, by phone 573-651-5000, or at showmecenter.biz.

The event will take place at 7 p.m., March 2, at the Show Me Center. The doors will open at 6 p.m.