MercyMe puts on a show for fans at Citi Field

NEW YORK -- The Mets may have had a tough night at the plate on Friday night at Citi Field, losing to the Braves, 4-0, but that didn't stop MercyMe from delivering some fireworks in its postgame concert.

MercyMe, a six-member Christian rock band formed in 1994, took the stage assembled in shallow center field as the third and final installment of the 2012 Mets Concert Series at Citi Field. The band -- all six members sporting Mets gear -- followed the steps of REO Speedwagon and Daughtry, who performed at the stadium of June 15 and July 20.

Most of the fans who stayed for the concert migrated to the lower level on the first- and third-base lines. The band played a mix of songs, most coming from its most recent album "The Hurt & The Healer," which was released on May 22. They also played a few covers, including Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down."

Maria Meyer, who was at the game with her family, said she was thrilled to see one of her favorite bands in concert for the first time.

"We're very excited, this is our first time seeing them," said Meyer, who donned a MercyMe T-shirt. "Since I love the Mets and I love MercyMe, it's a home run. I think it's a great venue for a concert."

Many of the fans in attendance were just as excited about the venue as they were about the show. Erin O'Brien, who came to the game with her sister and saw REO Speedwagon at Citi Field, said the stadium was one of her favorite places to see a concert.

"The atmosphere is awesome," she said. "Even if you're not the biggest fan of whoever's playing, you still get to see a show in a stadium, which is great. It's really a cool place and it's different from everywhere else I've seen concerts."

Eric Skuse, 24, said he coincidentally happened to see all three installments of the 2012 Mets Concert Series, but certainly wasn't complaining.

"Good price for a game and a concert, can't beat it. I get to spend the whole night here, enjoy some baseball and some music," he said. "I've liked every concert I've seen here, even if I didn't recognize any of the songs."

Did he recognize anything from MercyMe?

"I have so many random songs on my iPod, I bet there's at least one song on there," he said. "Maybe I'll go home after the concert and download some."