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Marco Sison to perform at Teatrino before US tour

Article (news)

Leah C. Salterio

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Marco Sison. Photo from the singer" s="" Facebook="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/entertainment/06/10/marco-sison.jpg"/><figcaption>Marco Sison. Photo from the singer&#x27;s Facebook page</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA -- A concert that was supposed to be staged two years ago really needs to push through at this time.Originally, “An ‘80s Saturdate with Marco Sison” was scheduled to be presented at Teatrino in Greenhills on March 14, 2020 before the first lockdown happened for this pandemic. The guests then were Rey Valera and Kuh Ledesma.Everything was set. Tickets were sold, the venue was reserved, the artists were booked, the date was announced.“Teatrino advised us to push through with the concert, but ako na lang ang umayaw,” Sison told ABS-CBN News. “Baka in the middle of the show patigilin din kami. At that time, ang dami ng takot.”The past two years, Sison settled with performing online. “Even the events, we performed online,” he shared. “That felt so weird because when you were on the computer, ang liliit ng mga tao.“Then you see them clapping, pero walang sound. Hindi mo naririnig. Kakanta ka lang. Three or four songs. You do your best, then tapos na.”Sison’s last concert tour with The Hitmakers – Rey Valera, Hajji Alejandro, Nonoy Zuñiga – was in June 2019 in the US. He also did a few corporate shows in Manila before the lockdown.“I remembered, ang unang nagbukas dito ‘yung Pagcor,” recalled Sison. “That was 2021. Marami kang sacrifices na ginawa. Nakakatawa, but we had to do it. Kumakanta ka ng naka-face shield.“Then you would sing in a plastic case, du’n ka lang in your face shield and face mask. Napaka-weird ng feeling. Hindi ka pwedeng pumunta sa tao. We performed sa Angeles, Tagaytay, Malabon, Ronquillo.“Kailangan dire-directcho ang business. We had to follow protocols. Ang hirap. But you need to work. Kahit nasa isang sulok ka lang ng bahay. I had to perform in my polo, naka-bihis ka, then naka-shorts ka din sa baba.”When artists in the US started doing concerts last year, the offers for artists in Manila also came in.After “An ‘80s Saturdate with Marco Sison,” that happens on June 11 also at Teatrino in Greenhills, Sison is set to hold an eight-city concert tour in the US, “Four Kings and a Queen,” this June and July with The Hitmakers and Pops Fernandez.When they return, the same show goes onstage at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila on August 26 and 27.Producer May Alma Arenas of “An ‘80s Saturdate with Marco Sison” disclosed there were already four shows originally lined up for the concert. The other guest was Dulce, apart from Valera and Ledesma.“But not one of those concerts pushed through,” Arenas sighed. “There were ticket holders who didn’t refund because fans talaga sila ni Marco. So, I told Marco, we should push through with the concert already.“We coordinated with TicketWorld and we decided to push through with this concert, although may worry pa din kami dahil after the elections.”“An ‘80s Saturdate with Marco Sison” was conceptualized because ‘80s music started coming back. “ If you noticed, marami ng nagpapatugtog sa radio ng ‘80s songs ulit,” Sison noted. “Retro stations still have a lot of listeners, especially sa mga offices.“Since I’m from the ‘80s, to be clear about it, we should bring back that kind of music. Kung ano naririnig natin, kung ano inabot natin. Those are nice type of music. Doon nga galing ang classic songs, ‘70s and ‘80s.”However, with today’s millennials, Sison maintained it is hard to predict what music would become a hit.“If you noticed na-trapped na ako sa image na balladeer since the ‘80s,” he said. “When you were starting as a singer, kahit ano’ng kanta, you have nothing to lose. Kahit sino kasabay mo, sikat o hindi, laban ako diyan.“Kantahan lang ‘yun. Sa mga hit songs na nagpa-sikat sa ‘yo. Alam mo naman ang mga Filipinos, laging love song ang gusto.”The likes of Basil Valdez, Rico Puno, Hajji Alejandro, all balladeers, started the trend. “Iba-iba lang ang kanta, pero pare-parehong ballads. Walang nagka-iba.&quot;Nonoy Zuñiga started singing OPM in English. “So, when my song, ‘Make Believe’ came out and became a hit, English din at ballad,” Sison said. “Nagkaroon ako ng ganoong branding, so na-trapped na ako.”Everything that happens to an artist is apparently destined for him. When Sison was younger and still a student, he applied to work as a doorman or a waiter.“Hindi ako natanggap,” he rued. “Pero pagdating sa singing contest, isang sali ko lang sa ‘Student Canteen,’ nag-champion agad ako. So, I told myself, since dito ako sa singing dinadala, gagalingan ko na lang since nandito na rin ako.“You take care of your voice as a singer. You take care of yourself. Kasi ako, gusto ko ‘pag nanonood ng isang singer or banda, gusto ko maganda ang nakikita ko onstage, lalake man or babae. Kung ano ‘yung gusto ko, dapat gano’n din ako.“As far as retirement is concerned, only death can retire me as a singer. Hangga’t merong kumukuha sa ‘yo to perform, nag-appreciate sa songs mo, nand’yan pa sila kahit na ano’ng edad, bata, matanda, kahit na ano’ng sexual preference, I’ll perform for them.”In “An ‘80s Saturdate with Marco Sison,” he will sing the hits of Barry Manilow, Lionel Ritchie, Spandau Ballet, even the dance music of Rick Astley. He will not dance in the concert. “But I can move onstage,” he smilingly said.Guesting in the show are winners of Asia’s Best singing competition – Andrea Gutierrez and Elisha Pontanares. Directing the concert is Calvin Murphy Neria.Also performing onstage are singer-actress Rita Daniela, with artists from The Infinite – Allan Alboradora, Russell Dionisio, Psalm Miranda and Zilla Cabarles – discovered by engineer Grace Bondad Nicolas of Tag Media, the official marketing partner of the show.The pandemic affected not just artists, but a lot of ordinary people around. Sison was compelled to return to his hometown in Biñan, Laguna, where he enjoyed the rustic setting in his farm.“Ang lakas ng hangin, presko,” Sison said. “Hindi mo kailangan mag-face mask and face shield when you go out.”Like others who opted for additional income this pandemic, Sison ventured into the selling pork barbecue back in 2020. He wanted to do it even a long time ago, yet only got the time when his calendar wasn’t too busy.“Sa social media, madaming nakakita sa MS [Marco Sison] Barbecue ko,” he proudly shared. “May mga nagpadala ng pera from the US, so namigay ako ng barbecue. Ginanahan ako. As far as Batangas City, nakarating ako.“May mga requests ang taga-US. Kung pwede akong magdala ng barbecue to places. There was one who requested me to bring 500 sticks to Batangas General Hospital. Nakarating ako doon. Even sa Quezon City, nagdala ako ng barbecue to one hospital.”Initially, Sison was excited about his barbecue business. “Noong una, ganadong-ganado ako,” he admitted. “Ako mismo ang naghihiwa at nagtutusok ng baboy, making sure na pang stick ng barbecue. Natuto ako doon. Nag-enjoy ako actually.“Mahirap lang talaga ‘yung pag-iihaw. Hindi ko sinubukan ‘yun kasi masakit sa kamay. Laging mamamanhid. My classmate, who is also a musician doing nothing at that time, was the one I hired to help me na mag-ihaw.”After sometime, Sison had to stop selling barbecue and closed his business. “Others thought nalugi ako, pero napagod din ako after six months. I realized hindi naman everyday kumakain ng barbecue ang mga tao.“Hindi ako tumagal. Kasi nga you have to do it yourself. But a lot of people, even fans and my concert producers from the US, sent dollars to help our frontliners. I’m also glad dahil madami din akong natulungan.”

Originally, 'An ‘80s Saturdate with Marco Sison' was scheduled to be presented at Teatrino in Greenhills on March 14, 2020 before the first lockdown happened for this pandemic. 