Music review: Four voices are better than one at 'Foursome'

An almost obscenely happy couple and a long-separated ex-couple performing together in a musical foursome on Valentine's Day sounds like a recipe for awkwardness. But there was hardly any awkwardness at Foursome, the Valentine's Day concert headlined by Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Pops Fernandez, and Martin Nievera. There was definitely chemistry between all four singers, made apparent early on as they opened with an upbeat number, followed quickly by a "dugtungan" singing game, where each tried their hand at repartee. In a way the game served as a preview to the rest of the show--the song choices were random, the witticisms sometimes fell flat, and the banter went on for too long, but through it all the singing remained consistently impressive. The concert setlist seemed haphazardly put together and included everything from quintessential Filipino love songs, Broadway musical classics, to foreign and local '80s hits, and even a serving of current pop hits for the younger audience members. That, plus the spiels that ran on for longer than they should have, made the show feel at times less like a concert and more like a noontime variety show. At one point, the foursome even rambled on and on (and on and on) about "packing"--and though the audience laughed politely, the old joke's charm wore off long before the spiel ended. Still, as far as the music went, the show was, for the most part, stellar, especially when the foursome was singing together. Flying solo Not long into the concert, the performers launched into their own solo acts, starting with Regine, who easily stole the spotlight with her high notes and soaring vibratos. Asia's songbird owned the stage when she sang Heart classics "What About Love" and "Alone," which showcased her vocal range. The entrance of Ogie brought the act to another level. After furthering his OPM cause through a translation of The Beatles' "Yesterday" in Batangueño Tagalog, he and Regine did a duet of love songs by legendary composer George Canseco, and there, Regine's stage power shone. As the husband and wife hit the dramatic highs of "Hanggang sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan," and "Ngayon at Kailanman," the performance reached a powerful crescendo that capitivated the crowd at the Mall of Asia arena. But not all the numbers were as powerful-- the solo acts were arguably upstaged by the duets and group numbers. Ogie held his own when it was his turn, putting an upbeat, alternative rock edge to his beloved ballads, "Sa Kanya" and "Kung Mawawala Ka." The new spin kept the number fresh, though the vocals were pitchy at times. Pops and Regine then did a duet of Cyndi Lauper and Madonna songs, which was perfectly pared-down even if the spiel before it was, again, much too long. Stripped of all choreography or spectacle, the performance showcased the undeniable beauty of the voices of two of our most popular and enduring female singers. The duets continued to make the audience swoon--especially when Martin and Pops took the stage for a love song medley. Together, the ex-couple proved that whatever happened in their personal lives, their singing remained unaffected and onstage, they still had all the kilig-inducing chemistry that made their fans fall in love with them in the first place. What followed was Martin's solo number, which might have been the only solo that was truly entertaining, perhaps because it wasn't a solo act at all, but one that he shared with his fans. The veteran singer took his performance as a chance to celebrate his 30 years in the industry by singing his greatest hits. He also thanked his fans grandly, descending the stage and walking right into the thick of the crowd, taking time to hug, take photos with, and joke around with the giddy audience. He even shared the mic with special audience members like his son, Robin Nievera, and fellow '80s icon Richard Gomez, who gamely sang a considerable part of one of Martin's best known songs, "Say that you love me" to thunderous cheer and cries of pure kilig. By the time Martin returned to the stage, the crowd was considerably riled up. After that, it was Pops' turn to fly solo, though her performance--a medley of dance hits which included David Guetta's "Titanium," LMFAO's "Shots," and J.Lo's "Dance Again"--was particularly unsettling. The Concert Queen kept a regal bearing and her signature poise from the moment the show started, but for her solo act, the grace seemed ill-fitting. She refused to bring on the raunch that a performance of such songs required, leaving her looking a little too stiff and rather self-conscious on the stage. Foursome finale By the time Martin and Regine broke out in a duet of "Music of the Night" from the popular musical Phantom of the Opera, the crowd had wound down as if they had recognized the denouement, the proximity to the grand finale. The hallmark Broadway song was beautifully rendered into a pop duet, and though at times it felt as though Martin and Regine were trying to outsing each other, when their voices blended towards the end of the performance, the combination packed a powerful punch. Pops soon emerged, following the musical theater vein by giving an emotionally charged performance of "On My Own" from Les Miserables, which more than made up for her lukewarm solo act. Ogie and Martin soon followed with their own Les Miz performances, and the musical theater medley was capped off by a soaring, birit-wrought version of "I Dreamed a Dream" by Regine, which segued into the foursome performing "One Day More" in what felt like a dramatic finale. Of course, after a standing ovation and cries for an encore, the foursome broke out in duets: Pops and Ogie doing "Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang," and Martin and Regine doing "Forever." The show could have ended there and it would have been great. But the foursome continued to sing so that the concert felt a little too drawn-out. Just like the spiels, it simply went on too long. Still, as they hit the last notes of that last song, their energy and palpable chemistry and, of course, their voices which were undeniably great together, proved that at least in this case, four is certainly much better than one. – YA, GMA News