Ogie Alcasid brings the videoke to the concert stage  

When Ogie Alcasid holds his videoke-style concert Ogieoke at the Newport Performing Arts Theater on Sept. 29, his repertoire will include the (in)famous classic My Way. He said the Frank Sinatra power ballad is now his most favorite song to sing for a very special reason.

But first, the concept of Ogieoke. “The reason why I came up with the title is because one time I was exchanging ideas with my manager Leo Dominguez, there was a mistake in his text message, wherein he said, ‘Sige, Ogieoke.’ Ogie-oke, (that’s a good title), I told him. He said which one? ‘Ogieoke.’ It’s like videoke, rockaoke, Ogieoke,” the veteran singer-songwriter explained during a recent interview.

“But, it was really to make it fun. You know, with concerts, when you go there, you’re so formal, you’re so stiff, and I wanted it to be lively. In fact, for my opening, I wrote a theme song and incorporated my spiels to the song so that when you watch the concert, you will understand why I’m doing it.”

Ogie added that the show will be a night to celebrate Filipino culture.

“Next to pakikipag-tsismisan, our second biggest hobby is videoke,” he quipped. “It’s invented by the Japanese but we made it popular. It’s really our thing. We love singing. It’s our way of releasing our stresses in life and in all gatherings, there’s always videoke. If you’ve noticed, we have many game shows that incorporate the videoke — Videoke Challenge, Singaling — it’s nothing new, to be honest. But, I think, in a concert setting, it’s a bit new.”

Ogie teased that the stage will feature a huge videoke screen and each number will even end with a score. “There will also be videos that have nothing to do with the songs (laughs) but no sexy ladies (like in the typical videoke videos). There are videos and lyrics. For the entire show, para kang nag-simba para makasabay ang audience. That’s the idea there,” he further shared.

The veteran singer-songwriter noted that 80 percent of his set list are not his songs, but more of the enduring and beloved hits of foreign and other local artists. And one of the songs he will definitely perform is My Way.

“I have a short kwento (story) about my choice to include My Way. Si My Way, kasi dinu-duet kasi namin yan ng Tatay ko. In fact, I still have a video of me and Daddy singing it together. For some reason, I was able to record it. It was Christmas and we did a duet of My Way because it was his favorite song,” Ogie shared.

He started including the song in his KilaboTitos tour with Ian Veneracion abroad as a “tribute to my father,” Herminio Sr., who passed on in 2020.

It turned out that in the States, Ogie shared, “it was probably my most applauded song. They would really give you a standing ovation. I guess medyo heartfelt yung pagkakanta ko so siempre ‘di pwedeng mawala si My Way.”

Ogie admitted that he would still get emotional whenever he dedicated My Way to his father, but that he could handle his longing much better now. “Mas kaya ko na ngayon. It was already three years ago when my dad passed away. So medyo OK-OK na ako. It’s ” he reiterated.

“And you know what? It’s becoming my song. And I noticed that nobody really sings it (on the concert stage). Although it’s being sung in videoke, wala namang singer na inaangkin yun (no singer here has really claimed it as his repertoire).”

Of course, Ogie is very aware of its “notoriety” among Filipinos, and the fatal disputes that have been documented and reported as the result of My Way being covered during drinking sessions.

“Ako lang naman ang kakanta. Wala naman sa inuman. I know there’s a (running joke) about it. Ayoko naman i-joke yun kasi pag-kinakanta ko, mag-tawanan, which actually happened during my earlier shows… But eventually, I was able to set the mood. I made it a point that I deliver the song, you know, this is my tribute to my dad. And when you start singing, ‘And now,’ everyone knows what’s next,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ogie’s upcoming show will also serve as his belated birthday celebration and he’s doing this in between breaks from his KilaboTitos tour overseas.

“I just came home to do some promo and return to It’s Showtime for three days and then leave again,” he said in this interview prior to leaving for Hong Kong last week with wife Regine and the kids to celebrate his 56th birthday.

Ogieoke also coincides with his 35th year in showbiz although he’s not officially marking it yet. Asked how he maintains his singing voice despite his busy schedule, Ogie shared, “We try as much as possible to be a good boy, don’t go out as much, take care of your health. It’s really important. Sleep is really the best. Because (there’s) muscle memory already, I don’t have to stretch (my vocal chords) all the time as I’m always using my voice (on It’s Showtime). Every week, I sing. It’s just a matter of being able to rest my voice for a long time.

“It’s very tricky when you travel because you have jet lag so yun talaga minsan nasa entablado ka, feeling mo wala ka dun. So that’s the challenge there, which I’m already used to,” he added.

Speaking of his noontime program It’s Showtime, he said everyone is OK despite the suspension order for 12 airing days, which producers are currently appealing, from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) over an Isip Bata segment involving hosts and real-life couple Vice Ganda and Ion Perez.

Ogie said, “You won’t notice that there’s something. In fact, I’ve observed that Vice lately has been so energized,” stressing, “We’re OK.”

Tickets to Ogie’s concert are priced at P7,800 (Platinum), P6,500 (SVIP), P5,500 (VIP), P4,000 (Gold), P2,500 (Silver) and P1,000 (Bronze). Contact 09178189847 and 09178079387 for ticket reservations. There will be a meet and greet after the show for those holding Platinum, SVIP and VIP Tickets.