POWER PLAY: SHOW ME SOME DECENT CONCERTS IN CAPE

It is a simple fact: Unless you are a country fan, you won't see many, if any, well-known musical acts in Cape Girardeau.

Why? The Show Me Center people in the past have said that country is a proven seller; other genres, including rock 'n' roll, are not.

Sounds like the Show Me Center isn't trying hard enough on the booking end.

During fiscal year 1995, the center lost $15,000 and the center's director described the first half of fiscal 1996, as "a disaster." Well, no matter, it's not as if the Show Me Center actually has to show a profit. If it depletes its reserve fund, Southeast Missouri State University will kick in to cover losses.

And you thought only people in St. Louis would be lucky enough to subsidize a stadium with tax money.

The center's director recently said bringing in a top name would prove too costly. Rod Stewart, for example, would demand $300,000 in guaranteed money to play here, he said. Maybe the director should lower his sights a bit.

Stewart, for some unfathomable reason, is among the higher echelon of performers and expects to be paid accordingly. This market is far too small to attract an act of his stature.

Just as the Cardinals will never play at Capaha Field nor the Rams at Houck Stadium, the Rolling Stones will never hit the Show Me Center stage.

However, the argument that rock 'n' roll will not sell around here is bogus. Not all that long ago, Kiss used to be a frequent visitor to this town and Motley Crue also stopped in. In the late 80s, Aerosmith played here with Guns 'N Roses as the opening act. All these shows were well attended.

The last rock act to grace the City of Roses in memory -- the Moody Blues -- also drew a good crowd in 1994.

The last two non-country musical acts I can remember being booked into the Show Me Center -- Kenny G and the Pointer Sisters -- were both canceled within one week of each other in the fall of 1994. That came as no surprise to anyone.

Kenny G is little more than elevator music and nobody wants to pay 50 bucks to listen to elevator music. As for the Pointer Sisters, they were yesterday's news in 1985.

There are numerous non-country acts out there that would-be concert goers would pay to see and that would not demand top dollars, either from the Show Me Center or from ticket buyers.

Hint to the Show Me Center staff: Flip on MTV, find a relatively new group with four or five hit singles under their belts and start making phone calls.

A hungry, breaking band that appeals to the high school and college crowd is exactly the kind of act for a venue like the Show Me Center. Names that pop to mind: Presidents of the United States of America, Vercua Salt, Green Day, Bush, the Offspring, Live.

Many newer groups even travel in packs of three or four to make the bill more attractive.

To satisfy older concert goers, as well as younger listeners with an ear for the classics, the Show Me Center could take the Moody Blues route and book some fading, though still popular groups. Bands that no longer can fill a 20,000-seat arena but can still put five or six thousand butts in seats would do nicely here.

The poor musical offerings in Cape, however, aren't entirely the Show Me Center's fault.

This town is in dire need of a 500- to 2,000-capacity venue to lure the college radio-type bands not big enough to play arenas. A large club along the lines of Mississippi Nights in St. Louis or the Blue Note in Columbia would fit the bill.

Until such a place is built and until the Show Me Center starts bringing in things people want to see, I guess concert goers will keep burning up the highway to St. Louis.

~Marc Powers is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.