Gary V: Music that heals

Gary Valenciano has lived with diabetes long enough to know what a PGH (Philippine General Hospital) patient feels when he talks about pain. He stares into a sufferer’s eyes, holds his or her hands, and says yes, he understands.

That’s why when PGH officers asked him to topbill their 100th year celebration with a concert to raise funds for the hospital’s patients and projects, Gary V didn’t think twice. Images of spanking new equipment, better services and other pluses PGH can offer needy patients made him smile.

And he said, “Yes, yes, yes!”

Gary even brought his otherwise staggering talent fee to an all-time low for the event.

“It’s more of an honorarium than a talent fee,” he reveals.

His co-performer, Karylle did the same. And, if the father exerts that much influence on his sons as many believe he does, the Valenciano boys, Paolo and Gabriel, must have settled for token fees for the show, too.

The concert Handog ni Gary V sa PGH on Aug. 17, 8 p.m. at the Manila Hotel Fiesta Pavilion (with dinner at 6:30 p.m.), is therefore a labor of love more than anything else (tickets are available at PGH Medical Foundation, Inc., ground floor, Nurses’ Home, PGH Compound, Taft Ave., Manila, with tel. nos. 536-2874 and 521-8450 loc. 3061 and at the front desk of the Manila Hotel).

“It’s my way of paying it forward,” declares Gary.

After seeing nurses and doctors shelling out their own money for the government hospital’s charity patients, Gary can’t help but share the best way he knows how. And more. He wants to see art works hanging on the hospital’s staid walls to cheer up the sick. Gary also wants soothing music to reverberate in the four corners of the hospital, the better to lift flagging spirits.

 Soothing music from healing songs is just one of the things Gary will render in the show organized by the PGH Medical Foundation headed by Dr. Gregorio Alvior, on behalf of PGH Centennial celebration chair Dr. Armand Crisostomo and PGH director Dr. Carmelo Alfiler.

The audience, Gary promises, will not just sit there and watch him and his fellow performers onstage. They will get up on their feet with dance numbers, especially from his heirs-apparent Paolo and Gabriel.

Gary V has been getting up on his feet — not just to perform, but to do new things — these past few months.

He visited Muslim towns in North Cotabato and visited the Manobo tribe for the Days of Peace Campaign as Unicef national ambassador.

Gary’s inspirational dance song, Shake It Off, which speaks of casting worries aside, won Best Dance Song in pre-awarding rites of the 20th Awit Awards. Gary won trophies as producer, songwriter and interpreter.

He played a short but meaty role in the indie film Gulong, which was shown in the recently-concluded Cinemalaya filmfest.

The momentum continues as Gary gears up for two legs of a US concert tour this year. He is also planning a part two of his revival album dubbed — what else — Revive.

Next year promises to be even bigger as it marks Gary’s 25th or silver year in the biz.

The grand to-do will consist of no less than 25 events to match the 25 years he has spent in the industry. Gary hopes to spread his wings further by reaching young students through a podcast that focuses on their concerns, like peer pressure and others.

Mr. Pure Energy will also tap the immense power of the Net in mounting a show devoted to his music and lively interaction with his younger listeners.

Raul Sunico has also come up with a piano book of Gary’s songs to be launched next year. Then, of course, Gary is readying a big concert to cap his 25th year celebration.

Yes, the action is just starting.