Iconic (concert)

Iconic was a co-headlining concert tour by Filipino singers Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez. Comprising 16 shows, it began on October 18, 2019, at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila and visited the United States. The tour is set to conclude on March 26, 2023, in Los Angeles. Initially conceived to include a six-date North American leg in May 2020, the tour was rescheduled and new shows were added after it was delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It resumed in June 2022 at the Resorts World Manila. The shows in the Philippines featured guest appearances by Pilita Corrales, Jeremy Glinoga, and Zephanie Dimaranan. In December 2022, another tour leg in North America was announced with shows scheduled to begin on March 17, 2023.

Iconic

Tour by Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez
Promotional poster for the tour
Location	Asia North America
Start date	October 18, 2019 (2019-10-18)
End date	March 26, 2023 (2023-03-26)
Legs	4
No. of shows	16
Sharon Cuneta concert chronology Sharon: My 40 Years (2018) Iconic (2019–23) Regine Velasquez concert chronology R3.0 (2017) Iconic (2019–23) Freedom: The Regine Velasquez Digital Concert (2021)

Described as a production of "two unrivaled names in the music scene", the tour was Cuneta and Velasquez's first joint venture after the latter signed a deal with ABS-CBN in October 2018. It was inspired by their desire to perform each other's material from their early works, since they believe these would unite their different musical audiences. The set list included songs taken from the singers' discographies, as well as additional covers of various pop and OPM hits. The pair promoted the show extensively through television appearances and social media. Critics generally lauded the tour, praising the repertoire and both artists' chemistry and performance abilities. For their work, both singers earned an Aliw Award for Best Collaboration in a Concert in 2019, while Velasquez was named Female Concert Performer of the Year at the Star Awards for Music in 2021.

Background and development

Regine Velasquez's music was influenced by singer and actress Sharon Cuneta early in her career. She has been vocal of her admiration of Cuneta, who she cites as one of her musical inspirations and most revered idols. Since her childhood, Velasquez has considered Cuneta a role model and credits her as a key inspiration who led her to pursue a career in music.^[1][2] Velasquez remarked, "The first song I memorized was Mr. DJ. So, I have a [standard] Sharon Cuneta medley, and I’ve even seen most of her movies in the cinema."^[3] The pair first met in the late 1980s,^[4] and have often performed in various events and concerts with other acts.^[5] In June 2018, Cuneta stated that she hoped to collaborate with Velasquez for a concert.^[6] That October, Velasquez signed a deal with Philippine television network ABS-CBN.^[7] In partnership with the network, one of her first projects under the deal was a concert series, Regine at the Movies, for which Cuneta made a guest appearance.^[8]

On July 17, 2019, Cuneta announced through the Philippine Daily Inquirer and her social media accounts that the pair would be partaking in a concert in October, which she described as a "love project".^[9] In August, it was revealed that a two-night show would be held on October 18–19, at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, with a show title called Iconic. Louie Ocampo and Raul Mitra were chosen as the music directors, while Rowell Santiago served as the stage director.^[10] It included appearances by Zephanie Dimaranan and Jeremy Glinoga as supporting acts.^[11] Tickets for the show went on sale for the general public on August 10.^[10] The prices for the tickets were from ₱560 to ₱11,200.^[12]

The concert was stated to have a total of 19 production numbers and will have a running time of two and half hours by the Daily Tribune, who noted it as an event of "two unrivaled names in the music scene", which will feature the pair performing each other's songs.^[13] When explaining the concept and title of the concert in an interview with the Manila Times, Cuneta asserted, "I think we've earned our place in show business ... modesty aside, the word 'icon' should not be used very lightly ... you should use it for certain people ... there's a meaning to the word." The goal of the show was to bring two different groups of fans and music enthusiasts together, "It's not a showdown ... our fans, when they come, they keep in mind that it's a collaboration", she said.^[4]

In addition to online promotion, Cuneta and Velasquez made many appearances on television. They performed at variety shows, including ASAP Natin 'To, Gandang Gabi, Vice!, and It's Showtime.^[14] On November 6, 2019, the first part of the concert's behind-the-scenes video detailing the event premiered via Cuneta's YouTube channel. It showed rehearsals and preparations for the show and a snippet of her performing "Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas".^[15] In it, Cuneta stated that she is excited, yet nervous about the shows. She said, "Its two different styles coming together. It's like apples and oranges. When you put them together should make a very curious but beautiful combination."^[15] Music director Louie Ocampo said that the process of selecting songs from both singers' extensive catalogue was a daunting task.^[15] The second behind-the-scenes video was released two weeks later, on November 22, 2019. During the video, Ocampo spoke of his admiration for the pair, highlighting that they are both grounded and straightforward.^[16]

Following the two-night show in Manila, it was confirmed that a concert tour was due to begin in May 2020,^[17] visiting six venues around the United States.^[18] However, the US was being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to social restrictions making the tour impossible to go ahead. No new dates were announced but there was the promise of further announcements to follow in due course.^[19] On March 4, 2022, ABS-CBNnews.com reported that Iconic was scheduled to be re-staged in Manila on June 17–18, at the Marriott Grand Ballroom of Resorts World Manila, with Pilita Corrales announced as a special guest.^[20][21] On June 16, 2022, a behind the scenes video was released which previewed rehearsals and the press conference for the show.^[22] The North American tour was then rescheduled to begin in July 2022. It kicked off on July 9 in Lincoln, California at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort.^[23] In December, Cuneta officially announced another tour leg in North America planned for March 2023.^[24]

Synopsis and reception

The concert opened with an overture rendition of "Pangarap na Bituin". At the conclusion of the instrumental introduction, Velasquez descended down the stairs singing the first verses of the song. Cuneta then appeared onstage and followed with the second verse, before the pair continued performing the song as a duet. The duo then performed "You Are My Song" as the second number during the set. Velasquez then spoke briefly about the first song she memorized as a child, "Mr. DJ", before the pair began with the song and a medley of the Cuneta's movie theme songs. Cuneta leaves the stage and Velasquez sang a re-arranged version of her single "Dadalhin" followed by a cover of Cuneta's hit "Sinasamba Kita" (I Adore You). As Velasquez left the stage, Cuneta began with "To Love Again" and transitioned to her cover of the former's song "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw". (I Need You)^[11]

The next segment opened with the duo singing a medley of the Ogie Alcasid-penned soundtrack themes of Velasquez's films: "Paano Kita Iibigin" (How Can I Love You), "Pangako" (A Promise), and "Pangarap Ko ang Ibigin Ka" (My Dream is to Love You). The pair then sat centerstage and sang "Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko", before performing Velasquez's covers of Ryan Cayabyab's songs, "Araw Gabi" (Day and Night) and "Tuwing Umuulan" (Everytime It Rains). A medley of the duo's uptempo songs "Swing" and "Urong Sulong" were then performed, followed by a duet of Moira Dela Torre's "Kung Di Rin Lang Ikaw". A cover of The Juans's "Istorya" (The Story) was then sang by Velasquez, followed by Cuneta's rendition of Juan Karlos Labajo's "Buwan" (Moon). The final segment saw the pair singing "Bituing Walang Ningning" (A Star Without It's Glimmer), which was then followed by a mashup of "Narito Ako" (Here I Am) and "Sana’y Wala nang Wakas" (I Wish That It Wouldn't End). After the performance, the pair thanked the audience before exiting the stage. For the encore, the duo sang the love ballad "Ikaw" (You), and then closed the show with a medley of 1980s music.^[11]

The concert tour was met with positive responses from critics. In a review of the opening night, Leah Salterio writing for ABS-CBNnews.com deemed it an emotional show and described it as a "trip down memory lane".^[11] She commended the pair's palpable chemistry and united performance. Salterio concluded, "Two hours will never be enough to squeeze in all the memorable hits of the two superstar singers in just one concert, performed in only one stage."^[11] The following concerts for the duration of the tour were also met with high praise: Rito Asilo of the Philippine Daily Inquirer lauded the June 2022 production at the Resorts Word Manila for showcasing "entertainment" and "nostalgia", and opined that each entertainer gave the other the opportunity to be the center of attention, while acknowledging their different types of success.^[25] He complimented Velasquez's unrivaled "technique and mastery of her voice", while he appreciated Cuneta's performances that "brings out the heart and soul of any song she sings".^[25] For the joint venture, the pair won Best Collaboration in a Concert at the 2019 Aliw Awards.^[26] At the 2021 Star Awards for Music, the tour received a nomination in the category for Concert of the Year, while Velasquez was named Female Concert Performer of the Year.^[27]

Set list

The set list given below was performed on October 18, 2019.^[11] The list evolved over the course of the concert tour, and sometimes included other numbers. These included covers of songs by the Eraserheads, Kamikazee, and Ben&Ben.^[28]

1. "Pangarap na Bituin"
2. "You Are My Song"
3. "Mr. DJ" / "High School Life" / "P.S. I Love You" / "Dear Heart"
4. "Dadalhin"
5. "Sinasamba Kita"
6. "To Love Again"
7. "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw"
8. "Paano Kita Iibigin" / "Pangako" / "Pangarap Ko ang Ibigin Ka"
9. "Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko"
10. "Araw Gabi" / "Tuwing Umuulan"
11. "Swing" / "Urong Sulong"
12. "Kung Di Rin Lang Ikaw"
13. "Istorya"
14. "Buwan"
15. "Istorya"
16. "Bituing Walang Ningning"
17. "Narito Ako" / "Sana’y Wala nang Wakas"

Encore

1. "Ikaw"
2. "Breakout" / "Into the Groove / "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" / "Gloria" / "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" / "I'm So Excited"

Shows

List of concerts, showing date, city, country, and venue

Date	City	Country	Venue
Leg 1 — Asia^[29]
October 18, 2019	Manila	Philippines	Araneta Coliseum
October 19, 2019
Leg 2 — Asia^[21]
June 17, 2022	Manila	Philippines	Resorts World Manila
June 18, 2022
Leg 3 — North America^[23]
July 9, 2022	Lincoln	United States	Thunder Valley Casino Resort
July 15, 2022	Chicago		Copernicus Theater
July 16, 2022	Newark		Newark Symphony Hall
July 17, 2022	Pasadena		Pasadena Civic Auditorium
July 22, 2022	Temecula		Pechanga Resort & Casino
July 23, 2022
July 24, 2022	Seattle		Benaroya Hall
Leg 4 — North America^[30]^[31]^[32]
March 17, 2023	San Jose	United States	San Jose Civic Center
March 18, 2023	Santa Ynez		Chumash Casino Resort
March 19, 2023	Temecula		Pechanga Resort & Casino
March 24, 2023	Henderson		Central Church
March 26, 2023	Los Angeles		Saban Theatre

Cancelled Shows

List of cancelled concerts, showing date, city, country, venue, and reason for cancellation^[18][33]

Date	City	Country	Venue	Reason
May 16, 2020	New York City	United States	The Town Hall	COVID-19 pandemic
May 17, 2020	Washington, D.C.		DAR Constitution Hall
May 23, 2020	Pasadena		Pasadena Civic Auditorium
May 24, 2020	Las Vegas		Westgate Las Vegas
May 29, 2020	Santa Ynez		Chumash Casino Resort
May 30, 2020	Lincoln		Thunder Valley Casino Resort

See also

• List of Regine Velasquez live performances

References

1. Lo, Ricky (October 25, 2005). "Reflections by Regine". The Philippine Star. from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
2. Mark, Ryan (July 7, 2006). [Regine and Sharon in tears]. The Philippine Star (in Cebuano). Archived from the original on November 19, 2017.
3. De Cartagena, Angelo (October 15, 2019). "Together At Last: Sharon Cuneta And Regine Velasquez-Alcasid Are The Only Icons That Matter". Mega. from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
4. Mauricio-Arriola, Tessa (September 29, 2019). "Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez: The perfect time for an 'Iconic' collabortion". Manila Times (in Tagalog). from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via PressReader.
5. Gil, Baby (September 27, 2019). "The iconic Sharon & Regine". The Philippine Star. from the original on December 25, 2019. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
6. "Sharon Cuneta admits she is a big 'Regine-ian' fan". ABS-CBNnews.com. June 12, 2018. from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
7. Tomada, Nathalie (October 17, 2018). "What's in store for Regine as Kapamilya". The Philippine Star. from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
8. Asis, Salve (November 14, 2018). "Regine walang inalala sa TF nina Piolo, Daniel at Sharon" [Regine no discussion of talent fees with Piolo, Daniel, and Sharon]. The Philippine Star (in Tagalog). from the original on December 13, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
9. Arcadio, Ryan (July 17, 2019). "Regine Velasquez, Sharon Cuneta gear up for concert together". Philippine Daily Inquirer. from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
10. Bodegon, Kara (August 6, 2019). "Sharon Cuneta and Regine Velasquez to share the stage at 2-night Iconic concert". Bandwagon Asia. from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
11. Salterio, Leah (October 19, 2019). "Concert recap: Sharon, Regine shine in 'Iconic' trip down memory lane". ABS-CBNnews.com. from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
12. "Iconic: Ms. Sharon Cuneta & Ms. Regine Velasquez". Araneta Coliseum. from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
13. Lizan, Louise (October 15, 2019). "An 'Iconic' collaboration". Daily Tribune. from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via PressReader.
14. Media sources for television appearances
    • Regine Velasquez and Sharon Cuneta perform together (Video). Gandang Gabi, Vice!. ABS-CBN Entertainment. October 6, 2019. from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via YouTube.
    • Sharon Cuneta performs "To Love Again" (Video). It's Showtime. ABS-CBN Entertainment. September 3, 2019. from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via YouTube.
    • The much awaited collab of Regine Velasquez Alcasid & Sharon Cuneta on ASAP (Video). ASAP Natin 'To. ABS-CBN Entertainment. October 6, 2019. from the original on May 31, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via YouTube.
15. "Iconic All Access — Part 1 of 2". Sharon Cuneta. from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via YouTube.
16. "Iconic All Access — Part 2 of 2". Sharon Cuneta. from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via YouTube.
17. "Iconic — May 2020 North America". Sharon Cuneta. from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via Twitter.
18. Lalin, Jun (March 8, 2020). "Dedma sa virus: Sharon, Regine tuloy ang concert sa US" [Sharon, Regine U.S. concerts to take place amidst virus threat]. Abante (in Tagalog). from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
19. "Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez postpone North American tour". ABS-CBNnews.com. May 21, 2020. from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
20. "'Iconic' concert of Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez to have repeat in June". ABS-CBNnews.com. March 4, 2022. from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
21. Purnell, Kristofer (June 11, 2022). "Pilita Corrales to join Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid in 'Iconic' concert". The Philippine Star. from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
22. "Getting ready for Iconic RWManila". Sharon Cuneta. from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023 – via YouTube.
23. "Iconic: North America Tour (2022)". Regine Velasquez. from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023 – via Instagram.
24. "'Iconic' concert of Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez to have repeat in US". ABS-CBNnews.com. December 8, 2022. from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
25. Asilo, Rito (June 28, 2022). "More than the sum of its parts: Concert proves why Sharon and Regine are 'Iconic'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
26. "Regine Velasquez leads Aliw Awards 2019 winners". Manila Bulletin. December 18, 2019. from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
27. Dumawal, Mario (October 13, 2022). "Moira, Ogie, Regine win big at 2022 PMPC Star Awards for Music". ABS-CBN Entertainment. from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
28. Salterio, Leah (June 18, 2022). "'Iconic' review: 2 hours not enough for Sharon, Regine". ABS-CBNnews.com. from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
29. Carvajal, Dolly Anne (October 14, 2019). "Sharon and Regine in the eyes of Kiko and Ogie". Philippine Daily Inquirer. from the original on October 13, 2019. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
30. "Iconic: North America Tour (2023)". Chumash Casino Resort. from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
31. "Iconic: North America Tour (2023)". Pechanga Resort & Casino. from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
32. "Iconic: North America Tour (2023)". GF Bayona Productions. from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
33. Biong, Ian (May 21, 2020). "Sharon Cuneta, Regine Velasquez 'Iconic' concert tour postponed". Philippine Daily Inquirer. from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.

External links

• Tours of Regine Velasquez at Live Nation