Tickets go on sale Friday for Howie Day and Nickel Creek, set to play at 7 p.m. on Oct. 29 in the Holmes Student Center’s Duke Ellington Ballroom.

The Campus Activities Board is funding the show, which will open with special guest David Bekley. Tickets will be available in the CAB ticket office, located in the HSC.

Day, a 24-year-old songwriter, has most recently opened for Sting, Jack Johnson, Sheryl Crow and Tori Amos before releasing his major-label debut album “Stop All the World Now” in October 2003.

He has spent much of his career touring college campuses before recording his last album, which was produced by Youth, producer of The Verve and Dido, in London.

Many artists are already on tour this late in the year and it is hard to get those who already have Chicago-area shows to come to NIU, said CAB Concerts Coordinator Bridget Brennan.

“Howie Day is one of the most requested artists from students,” Brennan said.

Nickel Creek is described as “not a typical country band” and has a huge fan base, Brennan said. She said it’s fortunate that they got two artists from two different genres to play the campus.

Nickel Creek won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album, an award they have been nominated for four times. Rolling Stone also named them in their “Best of 2002” spread.

Members of Nickel Creek have performed or recorded with The Dixie Chicks, Dolly Parton, Bela Flec and Glen Phillips.

“This Side,” released August 13, 2002, debuted at No. 18 on the Top Album Chart and has sold more than 400,000 copies. Their self-titled debut, released in March 2000, has sold more than 800,000 albums.

The combo has been touring together since September. Day is set to begin a solo tour in November.

Bekley, the opening act, is an up-and-comer whose sound is similar to Day’s, Brennan said.