Must-See Musical Concerts in Marion This Spring

When it comes to experiencing all kinds of culture, there’s nothing like a live performance. We’re lucky to have some first-class venues in Marion that host music, dance, and live shows. Here are some great performances to catch this spring.

Avenue Trio: Avenue in Concert at The Pavilion

Avenue group members Kasey Kemp, Haley Kemp, and Jonathan Mattingly bring their musical gifts to Southern Illinois this week. The group will perform at The Pavilion in Marion on Thursday, March 24 at 7:00. The performance is a benefit concert for Charlie Groves, known locally for serving as a North Pole representative for the area.

Known for exceptional harmony and powerful messages of encouragement and hope, Avenue Trio’s debut project “Songs for Every Mile” was released in June 2018. Their music demonstrates a big sound with strong vocals and moving messages. Their first radio release, “One Of These Mornings,” rose to No. 23 on the Singings News radio chart. The powerhouse of Christian music released a second album, “Here We Are,” with singles “They Could Not” and “I Will Follow Christ.”

The Great Affairs at John Brown’s On the Square

Are you ready to Rock ‘n Roll? The Great Affairs comes to John Brown’s on the Square in Marion, Illinois on Saturday, March 26th at 9:00 PM. The band is ready for a full night of new stuff, old stuff, and cover songs, with the party set to last until 1:00 AM. Prepare to celebrate Classic Rock, Power Pop, Roots Rock, and Southern Rock this weekend.

The Great Affairs released their first record, “Ten & 2” in 2018 with a muscular, guitar-heavy sound. Band members Denny Smith, Kenny Wright, Corey Rozzoni, and Matt Anderson embrace their collective influences to produce a sound both familiar and refreshing. The group has teamed up with Grammy-winning mixer and engineer, Michael Saint-Leon, to produce their album “Everybody Moves, Nobody Gets Hurt.”

Southern Illinois University Symphony Presents: John Williams’ 90th Celebration

On Tuesday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m., the Southern Illinois University Symphony in Carbondale presents a performance of the music of John Williams. His music underscores some of the biggest blockbuster movie franchises of all time: “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “Jurassic Park,” and “Harry Potter,” among many others. This night’s performance is sure to be one of familiarity and joy in honor of one of America’s most prolific composers.

Travis Tritt at the Show Me Center

“Flight Brigade – Live” licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr by phin_hall

The Travis Tritt Set in Stone Tour 2022 makes a stop at the Show Me Center on Friday, April 1, at 8:00 p.m. Since signing to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, Travis has enjoyed great success as a country music singer, songwriter, and actor. National fame followed with his first major album, “Country Club,” including the well-known and popular singles “Country Club,” “I’m Gonna Be Somebody,” and “Help Me Hold On.”

Although Tritt has sung since childhood, he began to put a “little more soul” in his voice after performing with his band in church.

Jimmy Fortune at the Carson Center

Jimmy Fortune performs at the Carson Center Paducah Ky on Saturday, April 16, at 7:30 PM. Fortune’s performing career began when Lew DeWitt heard him sing at a ski resort in Virginia. DeWitt asked Fortune to audition for his band in Nashville, and Fortune permanently joined the crew in 1982. Ben has written and recorded several number one songs, including “Elizabeth,” “Too Much on My Heart,” and “My Only Love.” Fortune had a solo career with many performances in the U.S. and Canada. He has produced several chart-topping projects in Nashville.

Martina McBride at Marion Cultural and Civic Center

The Martina McBride 2022 Tour comes to the Marion Cultural and Civic Center Thursday, April 21 at 7:00. McBride’s musical style features a soprano singing range and country pop material. With a sound similar to Shania Twain and Faith Hill, McBride has made a name for herself as a neo-traditionalist country singer. She has released five singles that hit No. 1 on the country music chart, one single that reached No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart, fourteen studio albums, two greatest hit compilations, and many more accomplishments.

The Isaacs at Beulah Baptist Church

This Saturday-night performance features a bluegrass band known for albums “Nature’s Symphony in 432” and “Favorites: Revisited By Request.” The group was nominated for Best Roots Gospel Album at the Grammy Awards in 2016 and 2018. The bluegrass Southern gospel group consists of mother Lily Isaacs, daughters Becky and Sonya Isaacs, and son Ben Isaacs, along with John Bowman (husband of  Beck Isaacs) as an instrumentalist and songwriter. Catch The Isaacs at Beulah Baptist Church on Saturday, April 23 at 6:00.

Kingsmen Quartet

This legacy-holding group visits Southern Illinois on Friday, April 29, at 7:00 PM at the Thompsonville First Baptist Church. Kingsmen Quartet had its humble beginnings in 1956 in the mountains of western North Carolina. Today, the quartet is one of the most popular Christian music groups. With a Southern gospel style, the band has endured countless lineups and earned many awards. Today, the Kingsmen Quartet helps define the Southern Gospel genre for a whole new generation of music lovers.

Cory Asbury at Cape First

The Songs + Stories Tour 2022 comes to Cape First in Girardeau, Missouri on Friday, April 29 at 7:00 PM. Cory Asbury burst to the front of the American Christian music scene with “Reckless Love” in late 2017 after 12 years of building his career as a musician. Asbury grew up in North Carolina with a profound impact from music on his childhood. He began leading worship at his church at the age of seventeen years old. Asbury began an internship at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City (IHOPKC) in 2005, beginning his musical career.

Cory Asbury grew his career over 10 years, releasing albums and performing on IHOPKC albums before signing with Bethel Music in 2015. Following his hit single “Reckless Love,” Asbury released his breakthrough second full-length album, which charted internationally. His third studio album, released in 2020, “To Love a Fool”, features the singles “The Father’s House,” “Sparrows”, and “Dear God.”

We hope one of these performances looks fun to you. Are there any we missed? Feel free to contact us and tell us what you’re looking forward to.