Jason Aldean brings full arena concert to Show Me Center

Chart-topping country artist Jason Aldean will step onto the stage Thursday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. Aldean has scored top 10 hits with his blend of energetic country with a Southern rock influence.

Luke Bryan, who played the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo in 2009, and Australian group The McClymonts, who have played several times with Aldean, will be the opening acts.

"I met [The McClymonts] right when they came over here from Australia, and we have the same booking agent as well," Aldean said. "They're as big as it gets in Australia, and we want to help them crack the market over here. It will be fun to watch them and hopefully see their career take off."

The McClymonts have been compared to superstar group The Dixie Chicks, thanks to their pop country sound.

Chantelle Kelso of Cape Girardeau bought tickets to Aldean's show the day they went on sale.

"I like his singing and his voice, and his songs have great, catchy melodies," Kelso said. "I haven't seen him live before, so I'm looking forward to the added energy of the live show."

Aldean said he likes the big arena shows, as well, because the first concert he attended -- Kenny Rogers and the Gatlin Brothers -- was in an arena.

"You get the full effect of the lighting," Aldean said. "A lot of times, with amphitheaters and such you have to scale your set down to make it fit on the stage, so for me, going into an arena is a full show."

Aldean is a big Alabama fan and said one of his dream gigs would be to see the band back together and to be able to play a show with them at June Jam, a now-defunct festival that happened in Alabama's hometown of Fort Payne, Ala.

"Unfortunately, by the time I got going, the June Jam wasn't going on anymore and Alabama kind of broke up, so I've never had a chance to do a show with those guys or play the June Jam," he said.

Aldean plays a blend of rock and country on his albums. He said he grew up listening to "traditional stuff" like Hank Williams Jr.

"I don't know if a lot of people consider that traditional, because it kind of had a rock edge to it," he said. "Being a teenager, I got into a lot of southern rock stuff and '80s rock stuff: Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Guns 'N' Roses, Tom Petty. As much as I love country music and grew up listening to it, I also like the way that big guitars sound."

Despite his rapid success, Aldean said he realizes that he owes his career to his fans.

"I'd say the biggest message I've got is just to say a huge thank you, for giving me a career and allowing me to do this," he said. "I'm making new fans every day. That's the great thing about the business, but we've also got fans that have been with us from day one, that have followed us around now for five years."

Aldean's newest album, "My Kinda Party," will hit stores Nov. 2.

Tickets are still available for the concert, and can be purchased at the Show Me Center ticket office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ShowMeCenter.biz or charge by phone at 651-5000.

Pertinent Address: 1333 N. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, MO