Wiggling to the top Children's group from Australia proving to be a hot draw for Show Me Center

The hottest-selling concert coming up at the Show Me Center isn't country star Sara Evans -- it's a group of grown men who play music for preschool age children.

Kiddie-pop superstars The Wiggles' Feb. 21 appearance at the venue has already surpassed Evans' upcoming Jan. 28 concert in ticket sales, according to figures from the Show Me Center. As of Friday, more than 2,200 tickets had been sold for The Wiggles, while country star and TV personality Evans had sold 1,700 seats. A week before the Wiggles had only sold about 1,700.

Show Me Center marketing director Shannon Buford said the venue is hoping for attendance of about 2,000 for Evans and about 3,200 for The Wiggles. But Buford really isn't surprised. As a father himself, his daughter made Buford familiar with the group a few years ago.

"They've got some of the most infectious songs you've ever heard," Buford said.

Featuring four guys wearing brightly colored "skivvies" and characters like Dorothy the Dinosaur and Captain Feathersword, the Australia-based Wiggles have climbed to the top of the children's music world since the late 1990s with songs about subjects like eating fruit and drinking lots of water.

Since its inception the group has sold over 4 million CDs and 17 million videos worldwide. Every year The Wiggles go on three American tours. The Show Me Center date is the first American show for The Wiggles in 2007, and the first American tour for new Wiggle Sam Moran. Moran replaced former lead singer Greg Page, who left the group last year due to illness.

The Koetting family were one of several who bought their Wiggles tickets on the first day. Patrick Koetting said he's had plenty of exposure to the Wiggles through his daughter, Zoe, who's a huge fan. The songs are so catchy, Koetting said, that he sometimes can't get them out of his head.

Buford said the group's popularity is only partially responsible for the good ticket sales. Another reason is that family entertainment always does well at the Show Me Center. In 2005 almost 10,000 people attended the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus over four shows, while "Sesame Street Live!" drew in about 4,000 in two shows that same year.

Family shows also draw more ticket sales because people buy tickets for their entire family, instead of just one or two seats.

msanders@semissourian.com

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