WOW! DID THAT LOOK LIKE A 9 TO YOU TOO? WHAT A MAGICIAN

Now you see him. Now you don't.

And if you show up at the Show Me Center on April 9, you won't.

But David Copperfield promises he won't do a disappearing act on April 7. The master illusionist is scheduled to do two performances at the Show Me Center on that date.

The Southeast Missourian, clearly caught up in a masterful illusion, listed the performance date as April 9 in its front-page story Tuesday. But the world's greatest illusionist's two performances at the Show Me Center will be April 7.

There is a concert April 9, but it doesn't involve disappearing people or other tricks. The only magic that night will be of the musical variety performed by the Goo Goo Dolls band. The band performs at 8 p.m. That's April 9.

Tickets for both acts went on sale Tuesday.

Copperfield, 42, plans to make 13 audience members temporarily vanish at his shows on April 7.

Copperfield's magic will be part of the featured entertainment during the school's 125th anniversary celebration in April.

Copperfield will present shows at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. That's April 7.

Copperfield's show is called "U!" David Ross, Show Me Center director, said the show will take the audience on a journey through the history and wonder of the art of magic.

The show will feature such audience favorites as an instantaneous transformation of the body, walking through the rotating blades of a giant industrial fan and Copperfield's signature illusion called "Flying," which took him six years to create.

In 1983, Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear. He is the first person to have escaped from Alcatraz. He has successfully challenged the Bermuda Triangle. And he risked death by plunging over Niagara Falls.

Ross said the stage will be set up on the south side of the Show Me Center arena for the Copperfield shows. The seating arrangement will accommodate about 3,100 people at each performance, Ross said.

Tickets for the Copperfield shows at the Show Me Center range from $25 to $45 for the general public.

In addition, those purchasing tickets may register to win a one-carat diamond anniversary tennis bracelet courtesy of Michelson Jewelers. One bracelet will be awarded at a special drawing prior to each show in honor of the university's 125th anniversary.

The jewelry store also will give away a diamond tennis bracelet at the Goo Goo Dolls performance April 9.

The Goo Goo Dolls feature John Rzeznik on vocals and guitar, Robby Takac on bass and vocals and Mike Malinin on drums.

The group recently made Billboard's Top 20 list with two songs, "Slide," and "Iris."

Tickets for the Goo Goo Dolls concert are $20.

Tickets for the Copperfield shows and the Goo Goo Dolls concert are available at the Show Me Center box office and other ticket outlets.