REO SPEEDWAGON AND STYX COMING TO THE COLISEUM

Survivor will be the opening act and will begin at 7 p.m.

"We're extremely lucky to get groups of this magnitude to perform at the Black River Coliseum," said coliseum director Calvin Rutledge. "We're the only small venue in the United States (they're playing)."

Ticket prices start at $35 for floor and lower level seats while the upper level price is $30.

Rutledge said since the stop was placed on the Styx and REO Web site he has had calls for tickets from St. Joseph, Kansas City and St. Louis and he's expecting a sell-out crowd.

"The great thing about the Black River Coliseum there's not a bad seat in the house." Rutledge said.

Survivor will play for about 45 minutes and Styx and REO will both play at least an hour for a show that will last more than three hours.

"Actually, you're paying about $10 per event to see a major headline group," said Rutledge.

The Arch Allies tour has been sold out in every city this summer. Rutledge said when he was looking for a major act for the coliseum he thought the tour would be a good fit for Poplar Bluff, but it wasn't easy to book them.

"It was an extremely difficult job," he said. "It took about six weeks of negotiations to schedule the stop in Poplar Bluff between Louisville, Ky., and New Orleans.

"I'm very appreciative of their management group for stopping here," he said.

"I think it's a major compliment to Black River Coliseum and the people of Poplar Bluff." Styx has played more than 90 shows around the United States and Japan since the release of their most recent album, "Brave New World." Critics and fans have described the show as being "amazingly energetic." The group will perform new music along with some of their classics like "Lady," "Come Sail Away" and "Miss America."

REO has been recording 25 years and has 17 critically acclaimed albums and 13 Top 40 singles, including "Keep On Lovin' You," and "Take It On the Run" from the "High Infidelity" album. "Can't Fight This Feeling" was an international smash five years later.

REO's latest album was "Building the Bridge" released in 1996.

Kevin Cronin, lead singer and principal songwriter, has said that the group loves playing to the heartland of America.

"The people in the Midwest have kept us going all through the years. They are our kind of people ... friendly, loyal and in general keep their work ethic and their party instinct in balance. When I look out into their eyes from the stage, I see true REO fans ... it's a great feeling."