Arthur Nery Provides Solace Among Storms In His Second-Ever Solo Concert – Review

In his concert last Friday (October 25, 2024), Arthur Nery powered through bouts of bad weather to present an unforgettable show.

The soul/R&B singer-songwriter held his second solo concert in the Araneta Coliseum, a journey curated by director GB Sampedro that charting the different elements of Nery’s life and creations. The spectacle featured the likes of Atasha Muhlach, Jolianne, Jon Mejia, Kiyo, and Janine Teñoso. As the stadium filled up, staff passed around red stickers for members of the audience to tape over their camera flashes, to create an “ocean of red” during the headliner’s performance of his chart-topping “Pagsamo.”

Although it unfortunately overlapped with the arrival of Typhoon Kristine, the show carried on. Reflecting the same dedication, some BINHI’s even made their way from affected areas like Bulacan. Donation boxes for in-kind donations (such as food, used clothes, emergency kits, and other necessities) intended for those affected by the typhoon were placed by the entrance of the coliseum, which VIVA Records detailed would be distributed by Caritas Manila.

Despite the circumstances, Arthur Nery’s second solo concert was nothing short of a celebration of the singer-songwriter’s growing influence and success. Showcasing the artist’s incredible vocal performance in its greatest heights, the concert explored the artist’s self-produced and arranged various phases of sound.

First to take the stage as an opening act was fellow VIVA Records labelmate Amiel Sol. Warming the audience’s hearts with his latest release, “Soup,” and fan favorite “Ikaw Lang Patutunguhan,” the indie singer-songwriter started the night with sweet ballads. Second on the lineup was Marielle Belleza, who enchanted the crowd with her fresh rendition of Imago’s “Akap” and her 2022 hit “Baka Naman.” Earl Agustin came next, welcoming listeners with a warm embrace through her songs “Dito Sa’kin” and “Dalangin.” Closing these opening sets, Rhodessa wow-ed the crowd with her smash hits “Kisame” and “jeep.”

As the opening sets came to a close, the long-anticipated show finally commenced. Following a video message in which he shared his support for those affected by the typhoon, Arthur Nery arose from the stage, surrounded by sparklers in an astounding display. Accompanied by a koto player specifically brought from Japan for this show, an ethereal atmosphere took over the stadium as he performed his recent single, “Segundo, Siguro.” Bringing out a marching band for his second song of the night, his 2019 track, “Cotton Candy,” Nery transformed into the band’s conductor in a dazzling costume change. Turning up the heat with his soulful vocals and sultry lyrics, Nery was joined by Jon Mejia, who came out to rap a new verse on the song.

Marching to the rhythm of the show, the artist took the audience on a Chicago-esque jazz sound trip with his brassy and vibrant “Get Going.” Taking a gentle pause, Nery took his first spiel to thank the audience for coming even in the midst of stormy weather, “Marami nating mga kababayan na nasalanta and ang performance na ito at lahat ng cheers natin ngayong gabi ay para sa kanila. (Many of our countrymen have been affected by the typhoon and this performance and all of our cheers tonight are for them.)”

In essence of this comforting vibe, Nery sang his 2019 classic, “Higa.” Almost as if he were teasing the audience with the provocative lyrics paired with his dulcet tone, the artist riled the crowd with his performance before disappearing from the stage once more. Following this was a video segment narrating Nery’s creative process as he explained that songwriting was almost second nature to him — writing bits and pieces before and after sleep, between meals, and so on. Emerging from the stage once more after another costume change, the artist led the crowd into a mystical journey with “Na Naman” from his latest album II: The second.

As romance was in the air with some passionate saxophone riffs, Nery simmered into this steamy atmosphere with “I Gotchu.” Breaking off from this flow, Nery shared in his next spiel that he was having trouble reading off the teleprompter as his eyes had been swollen from crying due to the typhoon. In spite of the heavy topic, the atmosphere remained light as he would cheekily take off his glasses to reveal his swollen eyes, drawing cheers from the audience.

Segueing to the next part of his set, the artist briefly spoke about his upbringing in Cagayan de Oro, and reflected on the slow life of the rural setting. Fittingly so, he painted a picture of this perfect peace with his next song, “Lullaby.” Joining him for a duet onstage, Jolianne performed her feature on the song, rousing the audience with her astounding vocals. Following this duet was another surprise feature by the beloved Atasha Muhlach, in a fresh rendition of First Circle’s “Akoy Sa’yo.” Tying off this sequence of duets, Janine Teñoso made her appearance for a live rendition of her iconic collaboration with Nery, “Pelikula.” As Nery took a step away from the spotlight, Teñoso took over to stage one of her latest hits, “Hulaan.”

As Teñoso descended from the stage, the narrative shifted towards Nery’s fascination with basketball and hiking, as a video segment presented the artist’s interests away from the spotlight. Carrying over the video’s basketball-cheerleader theme, Nery emerged from the stage, surrounded by dancers in cheerleader costumes as he sang his dizzyingly sweet “Foolish.” In a dance sequence oozing with promiscuity, fans couldn’t help but cheer as he showed a new side to his persona.

Following this, the band backing Nery throughout the concert took their respective spotlights as a credit sequence showcased each member, from backing vocals to the different instrumentalists. When each member of the band earned their well-deserved applause from the crowd, it was time for Arthur Nery to resurface once more in a soulful cover of VST & Company’s “Ipagpatawad Mo.”

Taking the opportunity to connect firsthand with fans, Nery descended from the stage to interact with his fans in a cover of Rey Valera’s classic “Maging Sino Ka Man.” Piecing together a sequence of covers, the singer-songwriter followed this act with a rousing performance of Michael Bublé’s “Feeling Good,” Stevie Wonder’s “For Once In My Life,” and Frank Sinatra’s iconic “The Way You Look Tonight.”

Once more breaking off this rhythm for a short spiel, Nery acknowledged his family, who was seated in the very front row, and as a heartfelt dedication to them, he sang his 2023 single “o ninanais.” After another costume change, the artist, clad in a bedazzled black suit, performed his well-loved collaboration alongside Kiyo, “Di Nakakasawa.” Unfortunately, the rapper’s performance was cut short due to technical issues, as his voice was drowned out by the faulty sound system.

Nevertheless, this mishap was soon turned over as “Isa Lang” had the entire stadium singing in unison. With banger after banger, Nery’s live rendition of his smash hit “Pagsamo” captivated the crowd, effectively turning the coliseum into an ocean of red lights. As the artist announced that he would close the show soon, he declared, “Mabuhay ang OPM! (Long live OPM!)” before assuring the audience firsthand that the proceeds of his concert would be donated towards victims of Typhoon Kristine.

On a sentimental note, Nery made his way into the audience once more, saying, “I want to spend time with you guys,” as he performed a song of bittersweet goodbyes, “Paalam Lang Ang Palagi.” Of course, the show didn’t really end there. Re-emerging from the stage surrounded by sparklers for a grand farewell, Nery closed off his performance (for real this time) with his powerful anthem, “TAKE ALL THE LOVE.”

Arthur Nery’s second-ever concert did not come easily. Each and every participant of the experience, from members of the audience to Nery himself, made an effort to be present even in the midst of troublesome circumstances. Despite the odds, the three-hour-long concert was an event never to be forgotten by everyone who took risks to be there.