"Being one of the most dynamic and celebrated personalities ever to come out of the Philippines, we have come to expect a certain degree of showmanship, style and flair from Martin Nievera who has dazzled audiences the world-over with his charm, wit and musical gifts. He did not disappoint his adoring fans here in Vancouver last Feb. 24, 2002 at the Orpheum Theater and people here are still talking about it. Now as the seventh stop on his 23-city tour, the anticipation in Vancouver of what he has to offer was very high.
"But when the day finally arrived on Oct. 23, Martin stepped onto the stage before the sold-out crowd at the Croatian Cultural Central with a different purpose in mind. With only a piano, played by musical director, Lori Ilustre, as accompaniment, he displayed a different side to his personality as an introspective performer. The change was felt not only in his songs, from his opening Corner of the Sky, to later ballads, I Sing for You, I’ll be There, and Home, but also in his spiels about his regret of not spending more time with his sons while they were growing up.
"Though it was clear he was proud of his accomplishments, his pursuit of stardom has nevertheless kept him away from his loved ones. He said that he envied us, in that regard. We should not admire celebrities so longingly, for in many respects we are more fortunate than them. Fame is not all it is cracked up to be. But to live and learn is all a part of life’s journey. Or as Martin himself said, ‘Those who have not struggled have not lived, and those who have not failed will never know true success.’
"The performance, however, was not all self-reflection and soul-searching. What would a Martin Nievera concert be without moments of sheer hilarity? In the middle of the concert, Ilustre announced that he had to go to the bathroom. Martin, all alone, looked around the suddenly empty stage as though he was a deer caught in headlights. The situation was of course a ruse. ‘Well the show must go on,’ he told the appreciative crowd who was enjoying his ordeal. ‘So I guess I could play a little for you. But I only know a few keys.’ He then belted out four songs (One More Cry, Please Don’t Ask Me, No Easy Way and Before You Say Goodbye) from his album When Love is Gone.
"On another occasion, he interviewed a married couple (Rob and Gee-Gee) whose seats were separated by an aisle. He jokingly asked them, ‘You are a married couple, right? Then why are you seated so far apart!?’ Martin went further by inquiring into intimate details about them and then took the information and sang it to Say That You Love Me. The crowd howled with laughter.
"Then Martin showed us his true passion, Broadway tunes. He sang them all, from Phantom of the Opera to West Side Story. This vocal display was amazing, considering that he had been ill and lost his voice for several days before the show. At times, it was still apparent that he was struggling, but he soldiered on. The gods must have smiled on him, for his voice soared throughout the show.
"Later, when Martin returned for his encore, he seemed surprised that the audience wanted more. It was 11 p.m. on a Sunday and many people in the audience had to go to work the following morning. ‘Don’t you people want to go home?’ he asked. They responded with a resounding more! Martin sang Kahit Isang Saglit and You Are My Song.
"These seemed to embody the theme of his program, I Sing for You. It is us, his fans, who inspire him to sing and entertain. Without us, he would not be who he is today. And with those words, Martin touched the hearts of everyone present. It was a fitting end to a great evening when Vancouver saw another side of the Concert King who appeared before us as himself.
"The show also featured Vancouver’s own Joey Albert. Joey was stellar during her rendition of Torn, Tell Me and How Do You Keep the Music Playing with Martin."