2 powerful voices 'collide' in Araneta, May 9-10
Edmund L. Sicam
posted:05.5.03


A "COLLISION" of two powerful voices is how Martin Nievera describes his back-to-back concert with Regine Velasquez on May 9 and 10 at the Araneta Coliseum. Unlike other collisions, however, this one isn't expected to result in injuries, but in a night-long explosion of topnotch performances.

US tour


Their May performances are a continuation of their five-city US tour last month. For the Philippine shows, Martin says they are doing a different repertoire from the ones they did in the States.

Recently, he and Regine got together with musical director Gerard Salonga to discuss the line-up of songs. For the US tour, they had Louie Ocampo as musical director. However, for the Philippine concerts, Louie had other commitments and so they signed on Gerard for the job. Martin says that even if this is the first time for him and Gerard to work together, they hit it off right away.

Martin excitedly shares the audience reaction in their US concert tour when they packed their repertoire with one powerful song after the other: "People left the venue like they were in a trance. It was, like, too much! It was like thunder and lightning and the rain never stopped!"

Breakers


Regine has thought up a little gimmick for the Philippine concerts. Martin likes to call it a breaker. "Kami kasi ni Regine (Regine and I), we're both balladeers and powerful singers. When we met with Gerard, we chose songs na bagay sa mga boses namin (that suited our voices), so you won't see dancers, fire eaters, and things like that. You'll see two people really singing, a collision of voices!"

So instead of having a production number as a "breaker," they are going to have mini-telesines. In these breakers, they will be acting out different shades of love, romance and conflict, with Martin and Regine in the lead roles.

No clash of personalities


So, with two big stars together in a concert, won't there be a clash of egos or personalities? And how to solve the problem of billing? (Martin's name precedes Regine's in the posters.) Both claim to have no problem with billing. "As long as my name is first...," kids Martin. Regine says she does not mind if Martin is billed first, "No, kasi, seniority..." and everyone breaks into laughter.

Martin describes how it is to perform with Asia's Songbird. "You know, it's intimidating to perform with someone like Regine. I have to be a very secure singer and I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way." Thus, Martin says that when he is onstage with Regine, he feels like he is the greatest performer in the world.

Martin continues: "Her voice is unbelievably strong. I don't know how she does it! I'm trying to find where the voice comes from because I'm in the gym, I'm in the steam room, and she just walks onto the stage, sits on the stool, sound check, and she blows you away! You know? Where is this voice coming from?"

Martin shares a tip that he has learned from performing with Regine the past weeks. "You just have to know, when you get onstage with Regine, she's got the dominant voice. You just have to work around it. If you try and fight her, forget it. I will do the talking, she'll do the screaming. What a great show!"

Mutual admiration


We ask them if they find each other physically attractive. "Oh yeah!" Regine answers right away. Martin is asked why he didn't court Regine. "You told me I'm not your type, you said right away!" Martin tells Regine. "You said, 'Yech! It's like kissing my father, forget it!'"

Martin says that Regine is one of the sexiest performers in the Philippines. "She walks like she's in army clothes, or in an armored suit, but she's wearing a negligee! She's like Victoria's Secret in armor! She is sooooo sexy!"

Source:www.inq7.net