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IN PHOTOS: Piolo Pascual returns to the concert stage

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Leah C. Salterio

<div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/entertainment/10/24/10242023-pp1.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/entertainment/10/24/10242023-pp2.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/entertainment/10/24/10242023-pp3.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/entertainment/10/24/10242023-pp4.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/entertainment/10/24/10242023-pp5.jpg"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>Piolo Pascual in &#x27;An Ultimate Night with Piolo&#x27; at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at Newport World Resorts. <cite>Handout</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Piolo Pascual with guest Erik Santos. <cite>Handout</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Guest Arnel Pineda. <cite>Handout</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Piolo Pascual with guest Regine Velasquez. <cite>Handout</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Piolo Pascual. <cite>Handout</cite></p></div></div></div><p>MANILA -- Piolo Pascual has been in the showbiz industry for 25 years now but the last time he mounted the performance stage for a solo concert was almost 16 years ago.</p><p>His first solo concert ”My Gift” was in 2004 at the Araneta Coliseum. Then, he followed it up with &quot;Ten: Piolo Pascual!&quot; in 2007 also at the Big Dome.</p><p>Last October 20, Pascual was brave enough to do a solo concert again, his third, with “An Ultimate Night with Piolo” at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at Newport World Resorts.</p><p>The full house crowd apparently delighted Pascual from the time he sauntered onstage to start his performance with “Yakap sa Dilim,” Apo Hiking Society’s four-decade song revived by other artists through the years.</p><p>“I’m Piolo Pascual and I’m your host tonight,” Pascual addressed his audience. “Let me take you inside my world.”</p><p>He immediately gave the crowd a medley of the hits “Don&#x27;t Know What to Say (Don&#x27;t Know What to Do)” and “Loving You” by his idol Ric Segreto.</p><p>Pascual was then joined by prominent guest artists whom he personally invited to perform in his concert. Those were singers that he respected and it was an honor for him to share the stage with them.</p><p>First to share the stage with him was Erik Santos, who did an extensive duet of immortal Barry Manilow hits with him. They rendered “Mandy,” “Ready To Take a Chance Again,” “Somewhere Down the Road,” “I Made It Through the Rain,” “Even Now,” “I Write the Songs” and “Weekend in New England.”</p><p>Pascual gave the audience a sample from the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley and dished out “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Pascual went down onstage and reached out to his audience, literally. The fans excitedly buzzed him on the cheek as some even danced with him.</p><p>Guest Arnel Pineda regaled the audience with his popular Journey anthem, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”</p><p>When Pascual emerged from the upper deck of the theater by the time he sang Apo’s “Panalangin,” the crowd went wild and nearly mobbed him. They stood up, touched him, kissed him, hugged him and followed him in his steps. </p><p>It took Pascual quite a while to reach the stage. “Mali yata ang decision ko na diyan ako manggaling,” he smilingly told the crowd after an effort to reach the stage.</p><p>Regine Velasquez, who was previously paired with Pascual in Joyce Bernal’s “Paano Kita Iibigin,” did a duet of that song with Pascual. Then, she went solo in the beautiful single she reimagined, “It Must Have Been Love.”</p><p>Then, Pascual did an Ariel Rivera suite rendering the latter’s hits – “Sana Kahit Minsan,” “Ayoko na Sana” and “Sa Aking Puso.”</p><p>The crowd shrieked and screamed anew when Jericho Rosales emerged onstage to do Harry Styles’ “Late Night Talking” with Pascual.</p><p>Sunkissed Lola’s “Pasilyo” was dished out by Pascual and his son Iñigo, who even came home from the US to perform with his dad in the concert. “It’s very special every time I sing with him,” Pascual said.</p><p>After more than two decades in the industry, Pascual clearly proved he can sing new pieces by other artists -- Itchyworms’ “Beer,” Yeng Constantino’s “Hawak Kamay” and even Bamboo’s “Hallelujah” which Pascual rendered with ease.</p><p>Pascual also sang memorable movie and teleserye themes that defined his career through the years -- “Don’t Give Up On Us” and “Till There Was You,” both with Judy Ann Santos; “The Gift” with Claudine Barretto from ”Milan”; “Starting Over Again” with Toni Gonzaga; “Walang Kapalit” from the series of the same title with Barretto; and “Ikaw ang Aking Pangrap” from “Lobo” with Angel Locsin.</p><p>Pascual managed to accommodate the one-night concert, “An Ultimate Night With Piolo” despite his loaded calendar this year.</p><p>“This is not my cup of tea. I can do drama on TV and the movies, but concert is a huge effort for me,” admitted Pascual as his tears flowed, before rendering his two-decade hit, “Kailangan Kita.” </p>

Piolo Pascual has been in the showbiz industry for 25 years now but the last time he mounted the performance stage for a solo concert was almost 16 years ago.