How AS1 came to be

MANILA, Philippines - Who would have thought it would actually happen? Who would have thought I would be in the first class section of Qatar Airways seated beside a guy on a keyboard he bought in LA and his laptop (my husband Gary) and in front of him a man who immediately wore the give-away pyjamas, opened his laptop and was arranging his little area as he would do in all 16 shows that preceded this momentous trip to Qatar (Martin Nievera)? Who would have thought I would end up chummy chummy with the Concert King when I am married to his rival, Mr. Pure Energy? Sorry to disappoint all those who hoped we would end up a disaster but this collaboration must be one of the most successful tandems ever in music performance history. Not just because it sold out many concert halls in the US and Canada but simply because Martin and Gary actually enjoy each other’s company, sincerely laugh at each other’s jokes, genuinely love each other, and onstage, you see it, you hear it, and you simply feel it!

There is a book to be written with my BFF Gina Tabuena-Godinez, after this AS1 journey is over. Gina just happens to be the writer of the opening song of the concert On the Right Track, and the main writer of the last song, As One, which she wrote with this amazing composer we discovered, Albert Chang. I opened the daily paper in the airport lounge and I was totally blessed to see that the AS1 CD is still in the Top 10 of the OPM charts after eight months of its release. All I can do is whisper a prayer of gratitude for a project that started with blood, sweat and tears, has evolved into a milestone series of concerts full of joy, tears, laughter and showed the true definition of a real showbiz friendship that withstood the challenges that come with the territory of the business we all are in.

It all began when Martin guested Gary in his 25th anniversary at the Araneta Coliseum and Gary asked Martin to guest in his own 25th anniversary US shows at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, and two other cities in the West Coast. After the shows, Martin’s sister Ginatabs (as we all call her fondly) and I were texting each other: “I’ve got a feeling...” that the time was right. I recall the day she came into my room in Genesis as we were in the midst of the AS1 album production and whispered to me, “I have a song! You think you wanna hear it?”

Now, mind you, when Gina, one of the most underrated writers in the Philippines, tells you she has a concept or an idea, you’ve got to be all ears or you could miss a major hit song or project as she has written other wonderful songs like No Way To Treat A Heart and Gino Padilla’s Close-up song Closer You and I. She used to be co-writer of her mother for the show Pilita And Jackie in 1983! Gina started crooning with her hoarse voice: “You and I...you and you and you and you and you and I...as one...as one...” And I just screamed!

“That’s it. That’s the song I’ve been looking for.” And she looked at me with her sweet, uncertain look which said, “Are you sure you like it?” And I just said, “Gina, that’s the theme song! That’s the song that we need for this project!” And so here we are on our 17th international concert after that historical pre-Ondoy concert at the MOA all in our pyjamas, ready to embark on our first Middle East AS1 performance. Every moment, every city, every event since the MOA show has been nothing short of phenomenal, inspiring and simply unbelievable.

Meantime, on the other side of the plane is sound genius Jaime Godinez of Soundcheck (Gina’s husband) and the Radiant Group. Behind me is musical director Mon Faustino. Also upgraded to Business Class in the flight were our production team from production manager Vina Pareja to stage manager, Epoy Isorena, lighting director Butch Cruz, assistant stage manager Aio Hernandez, road manager Ramir Martin, production assistant Mark Santos, second keyboard player Ding Faustino, bass player Bobby Taylo, guitarist Ric Mercado and drummer Tek Faustino. Our other keyboard player Marvin Querido, Martin’s personal booking manager Joy Alonzo, vocalists MayAnn Casal and Elke Saison and monitoring engineer Boyet Toquero completed the entourage.

Gary and Martin are very particular about the musicians they work with and they are working with some of the very best. The original second musical director Louie Ocampo is thousands of miles away in Orlando, Florida with his wife and children on a much-needed vacation.

Twelve of the US shows utilized the charismatic skills of young American guitarist Jackson Allen and the back-up vocals of Eunice Dominguez-Montecillo, Gary’s back-up singer many years ago. Anthony “Tonet” Abrilla who lit many of Gary’s and Martin’s concerts in the Philippines is now based in Las Vegas and he did a great job in the US. Mike Frietag, a Korean-American monitoring engineer, worked on 14 of the shows in North America. (Martin and Gary use personalized ear monitors molded specifically for their ears and it is necessary for them to have a sound engineer who knows the show so they could hear the musicians and back-up vocals more clearly.)

Hussain Jifri, a gifted bass player based in LA, did two concerts when Bobby Taylo was unable to do the last shows. In Canada, we sought the help of Melissa Fontano-Alsisto for back-up vocals. Imagine the coordination, the e-mailing, the technical riders, the texting, sending music files through YouSendIt, introducing Martin and Gary through YouTube and their websites to the Americans who worked with us, itinerary approvals per city, immigration requirements and numerous travel schedules, rehearsals abroad and details that had to be managed.

I can say without batting an eyelash that my sister-in-law Gina of Genesis is probably one of the best international logistics tour coordinators anyone could ever work with. She did a great job with our co-producer Anna Co Puno and her team, with Mike Dalisay and Janine and Michelle of Starmedia Entertainment.

This AS1 experience has been a major learning experience for many in the entourage. We realized that even if Martin lives half the time in Las Vegas, producing a back-to-back concert could only be possible through sheer patience and perseverance. Our AS1 Manila team led by Ronnie Henares, and production manager Liza Camus organized Skype sessions with Martin in Vegas and Ginatabs who lives half the time in Los Angeles and we had such awesome production meetings using our laptops! Gary, Louie, Mon, script consultant Garlic Garcia, marketing consultant Twinky Lagdameo and I would meet with Martin and Gina and the team on-line, arguing over song choices and concepts and simply had fun using technology to make this project happen.

The MOA project was worse than a thesis, and as executive producer, I really wanted to give up sometimes. Gary and Martin are very different, opposites in their work styles and habits in fact, and it would drive the production team crazy! Martin works very fast and Gary works very slow.

Martin answers e-mails so quickly. I have to beg Gary to read his mail. I would get impatient messages from Martin via text because an e-mail that required both their answers would have been answered by Martin weeks before while Gary would take his time to answer it. Gary is very particular about technicals, while Martin leaves that to the technical people. Martin likes to be busy, and it seems that working is his therapy while Gary needs a lot of time and space to be happy. Martin cannot be idle while Gary uses the free time to rest, sleep and recharge. Martin recharges through activity! Although Gary is constantly on his computer, what he does is he downloads music software, learns the sounds and music production trends, catches up on the latest on mountain biking and listens to his devotionals on-line. Gary even transferred music files from his recording studio files to a new laptop he purchased, just to make sure we could travel light.

Martin, the director that he is, is constantly thinking of concepts, production numbers and gimmicks and types all his thoughts on his computer. Gary likes to write them on a notebook.

Behind the stage, Martin cannot be cooped up in a dressing room that doesn’t match an Architectural Digest spread. He will borrow lamps, sofas, chairs, racks, anything, even temporarily “steal” shelves from another room in the venue just to make sure he would be comfortable with the lay-out of the room. Gary doesn’t care! He just needs his full-length mirror, good air-conditioning and lighting, his food rider, and a lot of privacy. So Martin would fix and re-design Gary’s room all the time.

Martin grew up in the US and loves to pack and iron clothes. So once in a while he would iron Gary’s pants while Gary would wait patiently. Martin and Gary required suites because they have impromptu production meetings in their rooms and Martin would always change his rooms because he didn’t like the view. If you give Martin a suite overlooking the chimney of the hotels, chances are he’ll switch. You would surely need to change the room, otherwise you wouldn’t have a happy artist.

With Gary, the diabetic of 32 years, the promoter has to comply with his food rider so diabetic attacks could be prevented. We also request for two separate rooms for us so we could prepare for flights and schedules at the same time without fighting over the bathroom!

Although both are born comedians, Martin loves to use comedy throughout the show while Gary uses it sparingly. So you will witness Martin trying to tease Gary and push him to exchange funny lives with him while the more conservative Gary hesitates and ends up having no choice but to match the wit of arguably the wittiest musical entertainer in the Philippines.

With Martin and Gary onstage, there could never be a dull moment. While Martin admits he likes to “wing it,” Gary, the more “serious” performer, has learned to relax onstage and play along with Martin’s antics. Martin, on the other hand, is profuse in his praises for his buddy because Gary is very focused and craft-driven. I could see that Martin has learned to be more disciplined in his performances and oftentimes even looks at my direction for approval!

“Iron sharpens iron,” and that Bible verse is totally applicable to these two gifted men, who have both had their own share of life’s heartaches, who have lived most of their career lives competing with each other, and now who have proven that with a lot of patience, love, faith and determination, what would have been otherwise impossible is very possible!

Both artists have common denominators though. I won’t forget one of our last cities in the previous tour where Martin came in his sleeping clothes and stayed the entire night watching basketball in our room with Ginatabs who on her computer, was Facebooking as usual. Martin and Gary are both childlike and are solid basketball fans. They love basketball shoes, watch the games and compare thoughts on the championships and teams.

Both do not smoke nor drink, and are very humble and simple in their own funny ways. They are not brand-conscious, they love their children, and are totally committed to loving them wholeheartedly.

Both are generous in different ways and Gary has learned to be more caring because Martin has a marshmallow heart and has shown Gary this wonderful side of him that very few people know about.

Both are very sincere and unselfish in their gifts and it is very inspiring to see how they help each other onstage. There were some shows where Gary was very sick and Martin sang his lines, praying for him while there was that one show in Pasadena where Martin wept on Gary’s shoulder after their duet of Take Me Out of the Dark, overwhelmed by his own personal challenges while Gary hugged him for a good four minutes.

Don’t be fooled by the “big mouth” or his personal blunders. Martin is, like Gary, the apple of God’s eyes and all those who work closely with him will acknowledge that. And Gary, who is fast learning many things from his buddy, continues to encourage him with the Word and Personal testimonies.

God is not finished with both of them yet and there are more surprises waiting out there from and for these two amazing “brothers.” I am privileged and honored to be working closely with these two incredible talents and encourage all those who have not watched the concert to do so because it certainly is a once-in-a-life event and one cannot help but leave, totally blessed by the experience.