It was another successful night for Gary Valenciano at the repeat of his Gary V: His Love concert at the Music Museum, Greenhills, San Juan City, last night. Halos ayaw bumitiw ng mga nanood ng kanyang concert dahil hindi talaga pumayag ang mga tao na hindi bumalik si Gary after his final song kung kaya’t kulang tatlong oras din ang inabot ng kabuuang concert ni Gary.

Bago ang opening ni Gary ay nag-front act muna ang isa sa mga bagong talent ng Genesis Entertainment na si Mico Aytona.

Nagsimula ang concert sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita ng ilang pictures ng concert ni Gary V sa U.S. kunsaan nakasama niya si Martin Nievera. Ipinakitang puno ng mga tao ang lugar ng concert nina Gary V at Martin. Pagkatapos ay nag-flash sa screen ang Bible verse mula sa 1 Corinthians 13 habang halinhinan itong nire-recite ng mga anak ni Gary na sina Gabriel and Paolo Valenciano.

Sa pamamagitan ng pagtugtog ng kulintang (musical instrument ng katutubong Muslim) sinimulan ni Gary ang kanyang opening number and explained why his concert is about love. Ipinahayag din ni Gary na ngayong taon ang pagse-celebrate niya ng kanyang ika-25th years in showbiz. In-announce na rin niya na by November of this year, he will have a major concert at the Araneta Coliseum as a part of celebrating his past 25 years in showbiz.

Nag-reminisce si Gary sa kanyang concert. “What was it like 25 years ago when I started? There’s no cellphone, there’s no such thing as a major television network to back up one artist. You can come out in any network,” pag-alaala ni Gary.

Aniya pa, it was every artist management’s dream na lumabas sa big arena ang kanilang talent. Those were the times daw na hindi lamang siya nakakagawa ng mga kanta para sa mga pelikula kundi nakakalabas din siya as an actor. In fact, may nagawa pa nga raw siyang movie with Director Lino Brocka. Ikinuwento ni Gary ang experience niyang yun working with the legendary director.

“When you work with Lino, you will never hear him say to his actors, ‘You’re great.’ You’ll just hear it from other people. But definitely, it’s a great thing to work with a Lino Brocka.”

Ilan pa sa mga kinanta ni Gary that night ay ang mga kantang naging theme songs ng mga pelikula. Apat nga raw sa pelikula ni Aga Muhlach ay siya ang kumanta ng theme song. Dalawa sa mga paborito niya sa apat na iyon ay ang “Kailangan Kita” at “How Did You Know.”

Pero aniya, up to this day, ang most requested song pa rin daw ng mga tao sa kanya ay ang “Natutulog Ba Ang Diyos.”

Isa sa pinakamagandang song number ni Gary sa concert ay nang kantahin niya ang “Anak” ni Freddie Aguilar in different languages. Ang “Anak” kasi ang tanging kantang Filipino na may maraming translation sa iba’t ibang wika. In-arrange ni Danny Tan ang partikular na number na ito ni Gary.

A VALENCIANO AFFAIR. Definitely, His Love concert is purely a Valenciano concert. Dahil bukod-tanging ang tatlong anak lang ni Gary ang special guests niya sa concert. At halos lahat ng numbers niya with his kids were well-applauded.

Unang sumalang sa stage ang youngest of the Valenciano children na si Kiana. Obviously, very proud si Gary sa kanyang bunso na aniya, “I never thought I’ll share the stage with her. She’s the youngest Valenciano and she’s only fifteen years old!”

Halatang mahiyain pa si Kiana and unlike her two brothers, obviously ay hindi pa ito masyadong sanay on stage, pero, hindi maikakaila na napakaganda na ng boses ng only daughter ni Mr. Pure Energy.

Next to sing was his second son, Paolo. Kuwento ni Gary, magkaiba raw sila ng type of music ni Paolo, and that one day, his son approached him and told him that, rock is the type of music that he wanted to do.

“As a parent, you can only respect your son’s decision. And personally, I have nothing against rock music,” pahayag ni Gary sa audience. He also told the audience that Paolo traveled with him in the U.S. for his concert.

At dahil magkaiba nga raw ang tipo ng musika nila ng anak, “We just decided to come out with something that we call as our common ground.” Bumanat ang mag-ama ng Beatles medley na para sa amin ay isa sa pinakaumani ng malalakas na palakpak.

After Paolo, Gary called his other son, Gabriel Valenciano na obviously, ay nagmana kay Gary when it comes to dance moves.

Aminado si Gary na katulad ng ibang pamilya, they also have their ups and down. Kuwento pa ni Gary sa audience, they have “bull sessions,” para magkaalaman ng mga problema.

“My children, they all come to me, like Paolo comes to me and talks about his passion. Gabriel comes to me to show his words of wisdom. Kianna, the only girl, comes to me about everything. And it’s just so great to be a husband with a wife who loves her family as I do,” pagtukoy niya sa asawang si Angeli Pangilinan na nanonood din at kabilang sa audience. Katabi ni Angeli Mickey Perz of PBB and Jed Madela na ilan sa mga Kapamilya stars ni Gary na nanood ng concert that night.

Back to his 25th year celebration, very special daw talaga ang taong ito sa kanya.

“There are so many things that will take place next year. That’s why I’m taking all the time now with my children. Gab might be studying abroad next year and it will take years. He has plans of pursuing and be competitive in recording engineering, so, I could say, it’s a bitter-sweet for me, celebrating my 25 years.”

Gary V’s concert was both entertaining and spiritually enlightening. Siguradong lahat ng nanood ay na-touch. The words of his songs were emotionally and spiritually healing.

Sa mga gusto pang makapanood ng Gary V: His Love concert, may repeat ito on July 30 and 31, still at the Music Museum.

The repeat is for the benefit of Shining Light Foundation and Operations Blessing Foundation that reaches out and helps the typhoon Frank victims.