Hail to the Concert King

For nearly three decades now, Martin Nievera has safely kept the title Concert King under his belt. And no one has come close to stealing it from him.

In Sunday’s Martin Nievera Goes Green at the Trump Taj Mahal’s Xanadu Theater in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Martin effortlessly ruled the stage with his now legendary voice that only gets better with age, and an exceptional stage presence that’s hard to resist.

Accompanied by the terrific Big Mouth Band composed of musical director Lorrie Ilustre, the Latin Grammy-nominated musician Coche Arbe, George Bryant, Rich Taylor and David Inamine, with Chapter Two Band’s Dennis Sy, Jan Paraiso and Noel Tampac providing first-rate back up vocals, Martin delighted the audience with powerful renditions of his original hits and covers of old standards, as well as music from Justin Bieber’s era.

A medley of Frank Sinatra songs, including Sway, I’ve Got You Under My Skin and Come Fly With Me, showcased Martin’s strong, smooth vocals. The rich timbre of his voice is a natural fit for swing, but his repertoire is far from limited, as he demonstrated by covering everything from Chicago’s Saturday In the Park to Mike Posner’s Cooler Than Me to Blood, Sweat & Tears’ Spinning Wheel to Train’s Soul Sister.

His swing take on modern pop hits was unexpected and successful, turning even Bieber’s earworm Baby into something surprisingly pleasant to listen to.

The biggest crowd-pleasers, however, were Martin’s Original Pilipino Music (OPM) like Iisa Pa Lamang, Christmas Won’t Be The Same Without You, Each Day With You and Forever, as well as teleserye theme songs like Kahit Isang Saglit, Ikaw Lamang and Ikaw Ang Aking Pangarap.

But what Martin does best is work a crowd. His trademark wit and charming stage presence were on display, and he was not above making himself the subject of his humor, poking fun at everything from his age (“Sarah Geronimo’s fans all have braces; my fans have no teeth”) to his failed marriage to fellow singer Pops Fernandez.

Martin encouraged audience participation, climbing off stage to mingle among his fans, even singing a duet of Be My Lady with one of them.

Fans who followed Martin’s career from his Penthouse Live days in the ’80s expressed amazement at how the singer managed to preserve his voice and maintain his youth.

“His talent and durability in the music business are hard to match,” said businessman Nel Castellvi, owner of Isla Pilipinas Restaurant in Staten Island, New York. “For so many years now, his records continue to sell, he still packs large venues like Araneta Coliseum, and he still wins major music awards.”

Martin got a strong support on stage from equally gifted artist, Fil-Aussie pop rocker MiG Ayesa.

Fresh from his run on Broadway’s smash musical Rock of Ages, MiG delivered a knockout performance with classic rock solos, including Peter Frampton’s Baby I Love Your Way and INXS’ New Sensation, that highlighted his rich and sweet voice.   

MiG later joined Martin for show-stopping duets, including the Beatles’ I Want To Hold Your Hand, the Rolling Stones’ I Can’t Get No Satisfaction and Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.

Acclaimed Fil-Am illusionist Anthony Salazar, who opened for Martin’s show, helped set the mood for a relaxing and fun-filled afternoon with his cool magic tricks that made him one of the sought-after illusionists in casinos and entertainment events in the New York tri-state area.

Charming and funny, Anthony blended magic and comedy that kept the audience on the edge of their seats.

Martin Nievera Goes Green is a production of Group Ole and De La Salle Alumni Association of Metro NY.

And speaking of MiG, he is scheduled to launch in style his latest solo album, More Than Ever, with a concert on Dec. 12 at New York City’s Highline Ballroom at the 431 West 16th Street in Manhattan.

The event will also be MiG’s Farewell USA show before embarking on his next projects in Europe and Asia.

MiG, who has just relinquished his critically-acclaimed character as Stacee Jaxx in the Broadway hit musical Rock of Ages, will reprise the role in the Manila production of Rock of Ages next year.

But before Manila, he is heading off back to London in January to star in the Michael Jackson tribute West End musical Thriller: Live! for six months. MiG got great reviews when he first appeared in the musical’s UK tour in 2007, particularly for his performance of She’s Out Of My Life.

During his Dec. 12 NYC concert, MiG will bring to light www.love146.org LOVE146.ORG, an organization dedicated to the eradication of child sex slavery and exploitation.

In support of the organization, concert goers are encouraged to bring new or used dog toys and drop it in the R & R basket at the Highline Ballroom. These will then be brought to animal shelters to help reduce the stress levels of these adaptable caged animals. (Visit www.indiegogo.com/rockandrawhide.)

More Than Ever album is produced by Carl Dimataga (Sydney, Australia/Simon Pinto, London, UK/MiG Ayesa, NYC); mixed by Brian Paturalski (London); mastered by James Cruz (NYC); and released by Sputnik Rercords (NYC).

It includes a set of songs from MiG’s previous album, as well as selections from his Broadway shows, and some of his all-time favorite songs. Special guests Mike Clifford and Alegar will join MiG and his band electrify Highline with their brand of rock and pop.

For details, log on to www.mig-music.com. To purchase tickets to the show, log on to www.mig-music.com/tour. To listen to a sample of the album, log on to www.mig-music.com/morethanever or the album’s e-card web.mac.com/mig_mac_site/E-Cards/MORE_THAN_EVER.html