'Thanks for having us back': James Taylor returns to Manila after 30 years
MANILA, Philippines — Grammy-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor has finally returned to Manila after 30 years.
Produced by Ovation Productions, Taylor with his All-Star Band serenaded the Filipino crowd in SM Mall of Asia Arena in his "An Evening with James Taylor" concert tour.
“It took a very, very long time. Thanks for having us back,” Taylor said.
Filipino artists Noel Cabangon and Ice Seguerra opened the concert as they sang their hit songs.
The audience were thrilled after the two performed their "Pagdating ng Panahon" and "Kanlungan" hits together.
Taylor opened the concert with "Something in the Way She Moves," a song he said he performed for Beatles' Paul McCartney and George Harrison that led his singning with Apple Records.
He then performed "That's Why I'm Here," "Anywhere Like Heaven," "Never Die Young," "Country Road," "Fiddle & Drum," Sweet Baby James" and "Handy Man."
Taylor also performed "Long Ago & Far Away," "Mexico," "Carolina In My Mind," "Streamroller," "Fire & Rain," "Up On The Roof," "Shower The People" and ended his concert with "Your Smiling Face."
The crowd, however, asked for more as Taylor and his band returned to stage.
"Thank you so much, Manila. You're wonderful. We can't leave without playing this," Taylor said as he sang his hit song "You've Got A Friend."
He ended his Manila concert with "How Sweet It Is" and "You Can Close Your Eyes."
The Philippines was part of Taylor's concert tour in 2017 but he cancelled it because of then President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war.
“I don’t think of my music as being particularly political but sometimes one is called upon to make a political stand," he said at that time.
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