Triple bill of country acts show stuff at Show Me Center

Three of country music's most impressive up-and-coming artists rocked the Show Me Center on Thursday as Jake Owen's Days of Gold Tour rolled through Cape Girardeau.

The Cadillac Three, the Eli Young Band and surf-country icon Jake Owen played in front of an audience of hundreds.

The Cadillac Three's greasy and crushingly loud country sound got the crowd warmed up before the Eli Young Band's hit-heavy set.

Country singer Jake Owen walks through the crowd during his first song at the Show Me Center on Thursday night. (Glenn Landberg)

Beach balls bounced out over the fans in the pit as the band played "10,000 Towns" and "Skeletons" among others before finishing with a raucous "Crazy Girl" and "Even If It Breaks Your Heart."

Fan Brad Berry, who is himself a singer in local band the Intention, admitted he was most looking forward to the Eli Young Band, but got to meet Owen before the show.

"It was through a friend of mine at the radio station that I was able to go," he said. He explained he was surprised with how down-to-earth the singer was.

"He was very personable, really upbeat, and seemed just like an ordinary guy," Berry said before adding: "Though he was a lot taller than I thought."

Owen's set opened with a projected montage of ocean scenes and summer sun. A dubstep-infused intro complete with a light show captured the crowd's attention as smoke filled the stage.

As the opening strains of his hit single "Days of Gold" started, however, he appeared in the middle of the pit behind the crowd before ambling up to the main stage, dripping with his signature beach-bum machismo.

From a stage bedecked with tiki-bar decorations, divers' flags and palm trees, Owen treated the crowd to a variety of his accumulated hits and toasted the good life: beaching.

tgraef@semissourian.com