Mark’s ‘Love’ show a success

It was not only the sound of beautiful love songs that made the evening memorable, it was also the huge outpouring of love from family and friends that made Mark Bautista’s solo concert, titled The Sound of Love, a success. 

The show was held last Friday, Aug. 9, at the Music Museum in Greenhills. It celebrated Mark’s 10th year in show business. It was also the eve of his 32nd birthday and also an opportune time to introduce his new career path. After a decade of singing champion songs, Mark has recently switched to what he has always wanted to do. And that is, croon the standards, the songs he grew up with.

Ngayon at Kailanman and I Need You, two songs which recalled his days in the Star for A Night contest on television and his early recordings, served to reintroduce him to the audience. But after that opener, it was one romantic oldie after another that amazed even his friends, ang ganda pala niya kumanta. And with songs like those, he also sent everybody swooning.

Most of the songs were cuts from his new album, also titled The Sound of Love, like his single Bato Sa Buhangin, When I Fall In Love, All The Way, That’s All   and What A Wonderful World. But then he also did other similar songs like that absolutely gorgeous Moon River. Collective ooohs and aaahs from everybody in the hall.

He also swung his way through a sexy medley of hits by Tom Jones — Sexbomb, It’s Not Unusual and Kiss — with some G-Force Dancers; he jazzed up Smile and Moonlight Serenade; and then he capped the show with a rousing medley of Love Is A Many Splendored Thing, An Affair To Remember, Love Story, Walk Away and What I Did For Love with the University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors that earned him a standing ovation.

Now is a time when concerts by local artists have begun to look like Sunday noontime variety shows. You know, the sort where everybody is pushed on to the stage to sing and hopefully bring in some revenue. That is why it felt so refreshing to find a young singer like Mark holding the fort on his own. He also took a very big risk. What will the members of his fan clubs think? 

If his followers like Mark because he is a nice guy who is also a good singer, then I do not see any problem with his decision to turn crooner. Besides, this guy actually sounds like those songs were what he was born to do. It is a fact that even male singers try to sound soprano complete with melisma trimmings nowadays.  Mark’s baritone may sound strange in this milieu. It would also have never gotten him into the Star For A Night finals. But as the concert proved, this type of music is what he is most at home with.

Regine Velasquez herself said she is all for the change and loves what Mark is doing. Moon River is, in fact, her favorite song. The local Songbird turned up to be Mark’s special guest for the show. Regine was the host of Star for a Night and has since then looked on the finalists as her protégés. That is why despite a busy schedule she is always available to appear in their shows.

In keeping with the mood, Regine also stuck to a minor key. Her ballad, Paul Young’s I Go Crazy came off simple but heartfelt while her duet of Neil Sedaka’s Breaking Up Is Hard To Do with Mark was just divine. I could not help thinking that somebody should be recording this beautiful performance.

Of course, there was nothing low-key about Mark’s other guest, the actress and the country’s much-loved “prima biritera,” Anne Curtis. And birit she did with Celine Dion’s The Power Of Love and Barbra Streisand’s I Finally Found Someone as her duet with Mark. The two have been friends from the time when she appeared in the video for his big hit I Need You. 

Besides, Anne herself admitted that she loves being asked to sing in concerts with real singers. So, also despite a busy schedule — she and Mark were leaving for Tuguegarao the next day — Anne was there, giggly, excited and looking incredibly gorgeous.

Tasteful is how I would describe GB Sampedro’s direction. Nothing glittered. No unnecessary costume changes. No videos. No giant LED monitors obstructing the view. No intermission. No huge production number. Just like the old song that extolled You And The Night And The Music, it was just Mark, the music and the audience. How apt for the sound of love.