Gary V marks 34 years in showbiz

Multi-awarded songwriter and hitmaker Gary Valenciano threw a karaoke party for the members of the media at the Polari Club on Wednesday night as a thanksgiving to mark his 34 years in showbiz.

The media had a chance to sing with Gary, as well as with his guests that night who were part of the concert series “Gary V Presents” namely Katrina Velarde, Tim Pavino, Lara Maigue, RJ Dela Fuente, Carla Guevarra-Laforteza and Janice Javier. It was a pleasant surprise for Gary to know that his friends in the media sing well. On the part of the press people, it was an awesome experience to share the stage with Mr. Pure Energy!

Fresh from the commercial and critical success of his two-night benefit Valentine concert, “Love in Motion,” held at the The Shangri-La at The Fort, and his memorable stint as one of the celebrity jurors of ABS-CBN’s celebrity musical competition “Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids,” Gary will open the second quarter of the year with the much awaited season finale of “Gary V Presents” to be held on May 12, 13, 19 and 20 at The Theatre at Solaire.

With stage direction by his son Paolo Valenciano, whose credits as a director include hit concerts of Sharon Cuneta, Sarah Geronimo, Toni Gonzaga, Sponge Cola, and Sam Concepcion, and musical direction by Mon Faustino (who had been Gary’s musical director for over 28 years), the season finale of “Gary V Presents” is the very first major event that marks Mr. Pure Energy’s 34th anniversary in show business. His production team Manila Genesis Entertainment and Management Inc. is also celebrating the tail-end of its 30th year.

“Gary V Presents” was conceptualized by Gary and the Manila Genesis team with Paolo and the main objective of the series is to provide a mainstream platform for Gary’s choice of artists whom he feels deserve a bigger and wider venue to showcase their immense and formidable talents in the different genres that each of them represent – pop, soul, R&B, jazz, world music, classical, among others.

The maiden run of “Gary V Presents” was staged for two nights last November 2015 and the concert franchise has since spawned three more runs due to insistent public demand: a repeat in December 2015 in Manila and a special run in Dipolog City, and a two-night run performance in July 2016 in Quezon City, making the season finale its fifth and grandest staging ever as it is set to dazzle and enthrall fans of all ages.

For the season finale, fans could look forward to the show-stopping production numbers of Gary together with “The Voice Of The Philippines” alumni Mitoy Yonting, Janice Javier, RJ Dela Fuente, and Tim Pavino;  Allan Silonga of the all-male vocal Daddy’s Home and Suklay Diva and online sensation Katrina Valerde from “The X-Factor Philippines”; the classical-pop singer Lara Maigue of Philpop;  theater actress and former star of  Miss Saigon in London,  Carla Guevara-Laforteza; theater actor at R&B singer Jimmy Marquez of the second season of “Search For The Star In A Million”; indie artist Bullet Dumas of the annual Elements Songwriting Camp; and singer-songwriter Kiana Valenciano.

As an added treat, Jason and Joshua Zamora – two of the original members of  The Manoeuvres and the Addlib Dancers, will join the entire gang for the season finale.

Most of these artists were catapulted to mainstream recognition after they became a part of different talent competitions on television. Gary chose them to be a part of the concert on the basis of their individual achievements as solo artists as they are rapidly conquering the fields of recording, live shows, and local bar circuits, theater and television.

“We are calling this run of ‘Gary V Presents’ a season finale because the series will feature a different set of artists when it returns in the feature,” said Mr. Pure Energy.

“I would like to continue my advocacy to provide artists with a bigger platform to showcase their music to a wider audience and I’ll be on the lookout for a new set of artists. But of course, the original cast of ‘Gary V Presents’ will always have a special place in my heart,” he said. 

The concert series is for the benefit of the diabetes and scholarship programs of the Shining Light Foundation.

Soon after the season finale of “Gary V Presents,”  the top concert artist will gear up for his very first North American concert tour this 2017 and with special guest Katrina Velarde, he is set to perform at M Resort, Las Vegas on May 27; at Pechanga Resort and Casino on June 3 with Kiana Valenciano and Katrina Velarde; and at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on June 10 with Katrina Velarde, Sam Concepcion, and Kiana Valenciano. On June 12, he will mark the celebration of the Philippine Independence Day at Salt Lake City, Utah. 

For ticket inquiries, call TicketWorld (?891-9999) or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph or contract ?+639189212812 and ?+639175413389.

For more information on Gary, visit his YouTube site Gary V TV and Gary Valenciano Official in Facebook and follow @GaryValenciano1 at Twitter and @garyvalenciano in Instagram.