Author: Lani_webteam

A euphoric show like no other

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A euphoric show like no other
FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo
Thursday, May 15, 2008

Several issues ago, Funfare reported that Flamingo (in Las Vegas) “pulled the plug” on the SOS (Society of Seven) which had been performing there for years, with Lani Misalucha joining them around three years ago. On the group’s farewell show a few weeks ago, they had Martin Nievera as special guest.

What actually happened was that the producer’s contract with Flamingo had expired, so it wasn’t right to describe the incident as “pulling the plug,” etc. Taking over the group’s slot are Donnie and Marie Osmond.

Meanwhile, the SOS (with Lani) is doing shows in other parts of the US, the latest having been in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which was, according to Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre, “so good, it’s perfect na pang-Araneta Coliseum or PICC. It was a euphoric show like no other.”

Here’s Edmund’s full report:

Shortly after bowing out from the Las Vegas Strip, Lani Misalucha and the Society of Seven (SOS) kicked off their US and Canadian concert tour by packing the 2,000-seat Showboat Casino’s House of Blues last May 4, electrifying the crowd and in turn receiving standing ovations during the two-hour production presented by Group Ole.

Much of the accolade was specially reserved for Lani with her successive show- stopping numbers. Her rendition of Giacomo Puccini’s Nessun Dorma never fails to send chills down the spine. It was so breathtaking that everyone from the casino VIPs to the ushers and bartenders oohed with astonishment.

“It’s more than superb,” said Celes Atienza of Nanuet, New York, of Lani’s Nessun Dorma.”She can carry all tunes and perform songs from all genres.”

Equally enchanting were Lani’s Think of Me (from Phantom of the Opera), her Filipino ballad Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, her Crazy in Love choreographed dance with SOS, and the rousing finale God Bless America which she and SOS sang partly in Hawaiian.

New York’s ace photographer Rene Ner and his wife Winnie (of the United Nations) mentioned repeatedly that Lani is ready for the mainstream, something SOS founders Tony Ruivivar (host, guitarist) and Bert Sagum (comedian, dancer) have been saying all along.

“We’re really trying to make her known internationally in the American audience,” said Tony in an interview before the show at Jade’s Restaurant, a famous Fil-Am restaurant in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. owned by Jimson Garcia.

Lani is already a byword in Las Vegas but remains undiscovered outside of it, according to Tony.

Last March, Lani shared with Celine Dion the Best Singer honors in the 27th annual Best of Las Vegas based on a poll conducted on 8,000 respondents by the prestigious Las Vegas Review-Journal. Lani was chosen by the newspaper staff, while Celine Dion was picked by the readers.

Although Lani, like other famous Filipino artists, is eager to go bigtime in Hollywood, she avoids putting pressure on herself.

“Talent alone is not enough in this business, I know that,” the down-to-earth diva, better known in the Philippines as Asia’s Nightingale, said. “It takes a lot of luck. It takes a lot of people to back you up, to support you. It’s not a joke.”

In the meantime, Lani says she will continue performing with SOS, which counts about two dozen alumni in its roster that include Bert Nievera, Jun Polistico and the late Gary Bautista. Gary, who was with SOS for 22 years, collapsed onstage due to a massive stroke that caused his death two years ago.

In April 2008, SOS welcomed Gary’s official replacement as star vocalist Michael Laygo, a former pop singer in the Philippines who was part of Boy C. de Guia’s teen show Starbrighters, counterpart of German Moreno’s That’s Entertainment in the ’80s.

“I was the only one in Starbrighters who can cross to Kuya Germs’ show without any problem,” Michael said. “Kuya Germs always welcomed me as a guest.”

Who would have thought that a plain-looking Michael Laygo would morph into a top caliber entertainer? It turned out the boyish singer has the pipes of Martin Nievera (who himself appeared with SOS for two months recently) and the stage presence of Jun Polistico.

With his hilarious spoofs of Josh Groban, Michael Bolton and even Andrea Bocelli, and his soulful ’70s and ’80s numbers, Michael proved SOS made the right choice to bring him on board.

“I see myself performing with SOS for life,” declared Michael who has been a Vegas resident for three years now.

By September or October, following their US-Canadian tour, Lani and SOS are expecting to land another Vegas stint as a follow-up to their successful gig at Flamingo. As in the past, the group would stage a national tour until they strike another Vegas deal.

Tony clarified a report that says Flamingo “pulled the plug” on their show in April. He stressed that their contract was good for only one and a half years.

“The truth is we even extended our (Flamingo) show for two months because Martin Nievera came in,” Tony explained. “We’re the most successful Vegas show in the afternoon with the highest attendance percentage wise.”

Tony’s claim of success is backed by SOS’ induction to the Las Vegas Walk of Fame Stars in 2006, making them the only Asian performers to join the company of big names like Elvis Presley, Rat Pack, Wayne Newton, Siegfred & Roy and Liberace.

“We have proven ourselves in the afternoon slot and this time we’re gunning for an evening spot,” said Tony, who’s in talks with PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) for a Lani-SOS special. PBS is an American media enterprise that serves 355 public noncommercial TV stations and reaches nearly 73 million people each week through on-air and on-line content.

At their Showboat concert in Atlantic City, not a few fans who have seen them in Vegas more than once followed the group to the East Coast.

“Sulit ang bayad, puwede talagang ulit-ulitin,” said Julian Rinon of Staten Island who came with his brother Lito Rinon and their wives after a sister who has seen the show several times invited them to watch.

The Rinons said they are amazed at how the performers can switch back and forth with ease between blues, ballads, Broadway, comedy and impersonations.

“The group has timeless appeal,” said Group Ole’s Ching Legarda, whose husband, Ramon, produced the concert in coordination with Juliet Dayrit-Dizon, the Filipino-American executive at Showboat Hotel & Casino. The show was also sponsored by Nel Castellvi’s Perlas ng Silangan in Queens, N.Y., and Rosy Cheeks Entertainment Group.

“They not only support each other but their talents also complement each other making all of them shine on stage,” Legarda added.

Concert promoters Odie and Dina Maningas added that Lani and SOS are a delight to work with because of their professionalism and humility.

“Walang ka-ere-ere, puro pro,” was how Dina put it. “They have no diva attitude, no tantrums, kaya walang hassle.”

Nonetheless, Tony is first to admit that SOS, with over four decades in the business debuting in Honolulu, is still trying to break ethnic barriers.

“The business is really prejudicial but we’re trying to break that,” he said. “We may have opened some doors, but there are still more doors to be opened.”

A euphoric show like no other

Lani_webteam Leave a comment

A euphoric show like no other
FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo
Thursday, May 15, 2008

Several issues ago, Funfare reported that Flamingo (in Las Vegas) “pulled the plug” on the SOS (Society of Seven) which had been performing there for years, with Lani Misalucha joining them around three years ago. On the group’s farewell show a few weeks ago, they had Martin Nievera as special guest.

What actually happened was that the producer’s contract with Flamingo had expired, so it wasn’t right to describe the incident as “pulling the plug,” etc. Taking over the group’s slot are Donnie and Marie Osmond.

Meanwhile, the SOS (with Lani) is doing shows in other parts of the US, the latest having been in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which was, according to Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre, “so good, it’s perfect na pang-Araneta Coliseum or PICC. It was a euphoric show like no other.”

Here’s Edmund’s full report:

Shortly after bowing out from the Las Vegas Strip, Lani Misalucha and the Society of Seven (SOS) kicked off their US and Canadian concert tour by packing the 2,000-seat Showboat Casino’s House of Blues last May 4, electrifying the crowd and in turn receiving standing ovations during the two-hour production presented by Group Ole.

Much of the accolade was specially reserved for Lani with her successive show- stopping numbers. Her rendition of Giacomo Puccini’s Nessun Dorma never fails to send chills down the spine. It was so breathtaking that everyone from the casino VIPs to the ushers and bartenders oohed with astonishment.

“It’s more than superb,” said Celes Atienza of Nanuet, New York, of Lani’s Nessun Dorma.”She can carry all tunes and perform songs from all genres.”

Equally enchanting were Lani’s Think of Me (from Phantom of the Opera), her Filipino ballad Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, her Crazy in Love choreographed dance with SOS, and the rousing finale God Bless America which she and SOS sang partly in Hawaiian.

New York’s ace photographer Rene Ner and his wife Winnie (of the United Nations) mentioned repeatedly that Lani is ready for the mainstream, something SOS founders Tony Ruivivar (host, guitarist) and Bert Sagum (comedian, dancer) have been saying all along.

“We’re really trying to make her known internationally in the American audience,” said Tony in an interview before the show at Jade’s Restaurant, a famous Fil-Am restaurant in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. owned by Jimson Garcia.

Lani is already a byword in Las Vegas but remains undiscovered outside of it, according to Tony.

Last March, Lani shared with Celine Dion the Best Singer honors in the 27th annual Best of Las Vegas based on a poll conducted on 8,000 respondents by the prestigious Las Vegas Review-Journal. Lani was chosen by the newspaper staff, while Celine Dion was picked by the readers.

Although Lani, like other famous Filipino artists, is eager to go bigtime in Hollywood, she avoids putting pressure on herself.

“Talent alone is not enough in this business, I know that,” the down-to-earth diva, better known in the Philippines as Asia’s Nightingale, said. “It takes a lot of luck. It takes a lot of people to back you up, to support you. It’s not a joke.”

In the meantime, Lani says she will continue performing with SOS, which counts about two dozen alumni in its roster that include Bert Nievera, Jun Polistico and the late Gary Bautista. Gary, who was with SOS for 22 years, collapsed onstage due to a massive stroke that caused his death two years ago.

In April 2008, SOS welcomed Gary’s official replacement as star vocalist Michael Laygo, a former pop singer in the Philippines who was part of Boy C. de Guia’s teen show Starbrighters, counterpart of German Moreno’s That’s Entertainment in the ’80s.

“I was the only one in Starbrighters who can cross to Kuya Germs’ show without any problem,” Michael said. “Kuya Germs always welcomed me as a guest.”

Who would have thought that a plain-looking Michael Laygo would morph into a top caliber entertainer? It turned out the boyish singer has the pipes of Martin Nievera (who himself appeared with SOS for two months recently) and the stage presence of Jun Polistico.

With his hilarious spoofs of Josh Groban, Michael Bolton and even Andrea Bocelli, and his soulful ’70s and ’80s numbers, Michael proved SOS made the right choice to bring him on board.

“I see myself performing with SOS for life,” declared Michael who has been a Vegas resident for three years now.

By September or October, following their US-Canadian tour, Lani and SOS are expecting to land another Vegas stint as a follow-up to their successful gig at Flamingo. As in the past, the group would stage a national tour until they strike another Vegas deal.

Tony clarified a report that says Flamingo “pulled the plug” on their show in April. He stressed that their contract was good for only one and a half years.

“The truth is we even extended our (Flamingo) show for two months because Martin Nievera came in,” Tony explained. “We’re the most successful Vegas show in the afternoon with the highest attendance percentage wise.”

Tony’s claim of success is backed by SOS’ induction to the Las Vegas Walk of Fame Stars in 2006, making them the only Asian performers to join the company of big names like Elvis Presley, Rat Pack, Wayne Newton, Siegfred & Roy and Liberace.

“We have proven ourselves in the afternoon slot and this time we’re gunning for an evening spot,” said Tony, who’s in talks with PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) for a Lani-SOS special. PBS is an American media enterprise that serves 355 public noncommercial TV stations and reaches nearly 73 million people each week through on-air and on-line content.

At their Showboat concert in Atlantic City, not a few fans who have seen them in Vegas more than once followed the group to the East Coast.

“Sulit ang bayad, puwede talagang ulit-ulitin,” said Julian Rinon of Staten Island who came with his brother Lito Rinon and their wives after a sister who has seen the show several times invited them to watch.

The Rinons said they are amazed at how the performers can switch back and forth with ease between blues, ballads, Broadway, comedy and impersonations.

“The group has timeless appeal,” said Group Ole’s Ching Legarda, whose husband, Ramon, produced the concert in coordination with Juliet Dayrit-Dizon, the Filipino-American executive at Showboat Hotel & Casino. The show was also sponsored by Nel Castellvi’s Perlas ng Silangan in Queens, N.Y., and Rosy Cheeks Entertainment Group.

“They not only support each other but their talents also complement each other making all of them shine on stage,” Legarda added.

Concert promoters Odie and Dina Maningas added that Lani and SOS are a delight to work with because of their professionalism and humility.

“Walang ka-ere-ere, puro pro,” was how Dina put it. “They have no diva attitude, no tantrums, kaya walang hassle.”

Nonetheless, Tony is first to admit that SOS, with over four decades in the business debuting in Honolulu, is still trying to break ethnic barriers.

“The business is really prejudicial but we’re trying to break that,” he said. “We may have opened some doors, but there are still more doors to be opened.”