Kelly Clarkson will perform at Pershing Center on Oct. 29, ending a Lincoln pop concert drought and providing some hope that shows will start coming back to the city auditorium.

Pershing has struggled to get concerts for the past year or so. While some have attributed the paucity of performances to the aging building, the truth is that few shows that would fit in Pershing are on the road now. Major tours that play 15,000-seat and up venues, such as Qwest Center Omaha, are still on the road and doing fairly well in the down economy. But tours that aim at audiences in the 6,000 to 8,000 range are almost nonexistent.

"There really isn't anything out there," said Pershing Center manager Tom Lorenz. "We're not getting many offers. We're not hearing of a lot of tours of this size going out. There's still a list that comes out,and if you want to buy acts outright, there's some to buy. But if promoters aren't buying them, that's a sign that they're not selling well. It's few and far between to get a promoted act these days."

Here's an example of the difficulties confronting Pershing. Eagles Don Henley and Joe Walsh are teaming up for a fall tour that might have fit at Pershing. But, in the end, it didn't make economic sense to try to bring the show to Lincoln.

"It would have cost a ton of money," Lorenz said. "They want to bring more (people) in so they can sell merch. The production would have been huge, a tight fit, and it would have been a very expensive ticket, and it would have had to sell out to make money. In the end, it just didn't add up."

Clarkson's tour, however, is perfect for Pershing. Joined by Australian duo The Veronicas and a new band called Parachute, Clarkson will play smaller venues - casinos, theaters, small arenas and civic centers - from the first of October until mid-December.

Ticket details for the Lincoln show should be announced in August. Lorenz is confident it will do well.

"We haven't had an act that fits that pop/female demographic for a long, long time," he said. "It should be a very good audience."

Clarkson, the first winner of "American Idol," has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide since her 2002 debut, the same year she won the show. She's the best seller of all the former Idols. Her fourth album, "All I Ever Wanted," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts when it was released in March.

It appears that the Clarkson concert will be one of a handful at Pershing this fall. Already set for Sept. 11 is the Gaither Vocal Band - Reunited, a return to the stage for gospel music favorite Bill Gaither and his vocal collaborators.

A country concert is expected to be firmed up and set in the next few weeks. Details of that show are still being negotiated, but Lorenz said he is confident that will happen in late fall/early winter.

Efforts also are being made to bring a rock show to Pershing this fall. UPC, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln student organization that brings entertainment programs to campus, has been talking with Pershing about doing a show there in October. Again, nothing is set, but Lorenz said he hopes Pershing and UPC can team up to bring in a concert that appeals to the college audience. Plus, he said, he continues to be in touch with promoters about bringing in other rock acts.

"We're hitting a lot of different genres this fall," he said. "We'll find something in rock."

Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.