WE BELONG

"Don't you know that we both belong, baby
Don't you know that we will last forever
Don't you know that we both belong
I knew it from the start ...We belong" - We Belong by Toni Gonzaga

I knew it from the start that Toni Gonzaga is going to make it Big in Showbiz. I knew it from the start that her song "Catch Me" would be such a big hit. I knew it that she'll be doing a major concert and i knew it from the start that I'm going be doing her 1st Major Concert.

I knew it from the start ...We Belong. Toni Gonzaga from her real name has "TIN" as her nick and my name is Martin; some people call me tin too. Also we are both "thin". Hahahaha!

Back in 2007, i noticed that her song "Catch Me" was getting a lot of airplays and was kinda making a good impact when it became the theme song of a Koreanovela "Which Star Are You From". I thought right away that she was ready for her 1st Major Concert and i wanna do it. I had a meeting with Toni's mom, Mommy Pinty around August and talked to her about a concert i plan for her daughter and slated it initially Feb.8, 2008 thinking it's gonna be 2-08-2008.

I was able to talk to my producer, Moises Manio and he liked my idea and proposal that i'll be line-producing the concert for his Company, Manio Events. But it didn't happen on my original date planned for the concert but a day after because the venue, Aliw Theater, is booked already.

It was already late November and Early December when we did our sort of announcement for the concert and had our pictorial for the concert via Doc Marlon Pecjo and had it in his home in Ayala Heights. During that time we had the tickets available already on Ticketnet and amazingly tickets were sold already with even more than a month prior to the concert.

We got GB Sampedro to stage direct the show and Mark Lopez as the musical director. One of my best-est friend DG de Guzman helped me out as Project Manager too. But then we gave a freehand to Toni to choose her repertoire and from there we conceptualized the whole show for her.

Toni was then busy with a lot of work like the PBB and all the other shows she was doing at that time but then, professional as she is, she gave time for the project with her promo guestings,dance and singing rehearsals and all. Thanks to all our sponsors then we got a billboard courtesy of Shapes and a lot more who trully wanted to support Toni for this Major Concert.

Towards the concert, we were so happy with the sales of the tickets that even the Araneta Group then called and asked if we wanted to transfer the show to the Big Dome; but we decided not 'coz we are fixed with our venue already and all systems are go for us.

Concert night came, 9th of February 2008 and a packed Aliw Theater was in awe with big Opening Number followed by a series of great solo performances and production numbers with the her guests. She had a dance number with Vhong Navarro; a duet with Sam Milby and a surprise guesting by no less than ALLAN K, whom she worked with in Eat Bulaga.

Her wit and singing prowess made the concert so entertaining to all and never was there a dull moment for the whole two and a half hour. That even towards the end of the show she belted it out with her hit song "Catch Me" wearing her Big Black Gown on barefoot (because putting on her shoes didn't make it on time).

"How can something so wrong
Feel so right all along
Catch me, I’m falling for you
How can time be so wrong?
For love to come along
Catch me, I’m falling for you" - Catch Me by TONI GONZAGA

With all the preparation for the concert and turn out of the concert, we at the production side defined it as a "comatose" concert; the after all the stress and troubles putting a major show, we were successful in making a very special moment for TONI. And that prompted Moises to do a Repeat Concert months after (May 02) with more guests like Gerald Anderson and Vice Ganda. And the Repeat wasn't actually a repeat because new songs and production numbers were added that made it more special.

Actually, if i remember it right, it was during one of our press cons on the concert that her title "MULTI-MEDIA STAR" was coined by our friends from the press, Moises & I and Her family.

And now, celebrating her 10th year in the business, she will be doing another milestone concert now on her dream stage at her dream venue which is the Araneta Coliseum on September 30, 2011 - Friday. I'm quite sure that it's gonna be one great concert together with her guests, Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz, Vhong navarro, Alex Gonzaga, Pokwang, Gary Valenciano and more surprise guests. I heard a bVeautiful Guest will be a surprise. I really wouldn't miss this concert and surely i will blog about it right after the show.

Truly Toni Gonzaga is one very Talented Lady. Raised well and very Loved by her parents, Mommy Pinty and Daddy Bonoy and the care & support of her sister plus the special love by her hubby Direk Paul Soriano. With that, Toni Gonzaga is surely gonna be one of the TV personalities who will stay on Ten after Ten after Ten years in showbizness.

And I Can't Help Myself from feeling so Lucky to have worked with the Ms.Toni Gonzaga and Happy to be Friends with TIN.

"I can't help myself,
From falling in love,
With somebody like you,
'Cause your feelings are true.
Can't help myself,
From falling in love.
For I can't help myself...
From falling for you." - Cant Help Myself by Toni Gonzaga (All Me Album)

<credits to all the you tube video uploaders used in this blog>