Concert Review - An Evening With Peter Cetera (Pasay City)

To date, I have watched two concerts of the legendary rock group Chicago in Manila but never with its former singer, songwriter and bassist - Peter Cetera. An invitation, from HS batchmate and Videosonic Inc. president Francis G. "Mart" Miranda, to watch “An Evening With Peter Cetera” changed all that.  

Presented by Amplified Production, this one-night only, intimate concert was held last September 2, 2017 at the Newport Performing Arts Center, Resorts World Manila. The Manila concert was part of Cetera’s Southeast Asia tour, which also included KualaLumpur and Singapore. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as Cetera rarely performs in public these days. His last concert here was last Valentines Day 2009 at the Araneta Coliseum. 

Aside from being the voice behind the group, Chicago, Peter Cetera is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and a Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter (many written in collaboration with DavidFoster). 

An Evening With Peter Cetera

The author (left) with Videosonic Inc.
president "Francis "Mart" Miranda

In his time (from 1968 to 1986) with the group, they recorded 18 of the most memorable albums of a generation with their traditional soft rock, horns-driven sound. Cetera wrote or co-wrote 12 of Chicago's 40 chart hits.

Embarking on a successful solo career since 1986, Cetera has reached No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart twice and recorded 10 time-honored CDs.

From the outset of the concert, Cetera, dressed in a snazzy, metallic purple blazer (a la a 1980s Robert Palmer), was in his usual jovial mood, constantly bantering with a surprisingly, initially polite (but later rowdy) audience throughout his 1 hour, 45-minute, 20-song (2 of them performed by his backing musicians) set, which included an equal balance of his Top 40 solo hits and chart-topping singles as frontman with Chicago. 

He performed with his powerhouse 7-piece, Nashville-based electric band – the multi-talented Tania Hancheroff (vocals), Steven Brewster (drums), well-known bass player & background singer Joe Chemay (bass), American Contemporary Christian musician and singer/songwriter Chris Rodriguez (guitar), Boh Cooper (keyboards), Jonathan Hamby (Hammond B-3) and Tony Obrohta (guitar). Incredibly, this band had no horn section.

Cetera opened the concert, electric guitar in hand, with his "Restless Heart" (from his 1992 album World Falling Down), then followed it up with the power ballad "Baby, What a Big Surprise" (from the 1977 album Chicago XI) and "One Good Woman" (from his 1988 solo album One More Story).

Peter then teamed up with Tanya as they sang the song “After All” (a 1989 Billboard Hot 100 hit song originally performed with Cher from the motion picture Chances Are). He then showcased his vocal range, which varies between F Sharp 4 and D sharp 6, on the Oscar-nominated song “Glory Of Love,” a 1986 song composed by Cetera, David Foster and Cetera's then-wife Diane Nini.  According to Cetera, he originally wrote and composed this song as  the end title for the 1985 film Rocky IV, but it was passed over by United Artists and, instead, was used as the theme song for  the 1986 film The Karate Kid Part II. The song got nominated for "Best Song" during the Academy Awards

The heavy, upbeat and rock-oriented “Stay the Night”  (from the 1984 album Chicago 17) was followed by the popular, chart topping 1976 hit ballad "If You Leave Me Now" (Chicago's biggest hit internationally, from the album Chicago X).  Peter kicked up the intensity, at the right time, with "You're The Inspiration" (also from the 1984 album  Chicago 17), a song that, according to him, Kenny Rogers passed up ("Sorry Kenny,"  Cetera said as the song hit No. 1 in the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary).

Peter, together with Chris, then sang "Wishing You Were Here" (from the 1974 album Chicago VII).  According to Peter, three members of The Beach Boys (Al Jarine, Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson), joined him in singing the background vocals during the song’s recording at Caribou Ranch.  This was followed by "Love Me Tomorrow" (reached #22 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, from the 1982 album Chicago 16).

Cetera then took a brief break to change jackets and several members of the band were placed in the spotlight as they seamlessly covered two Beatles songs, with Tania performing a red-hot rendition of “Oh! Darling” and Chris doing a killer version of “Come Together.”  Cetera returned on stage with the deep cut, Baywatch opening theme song “Save Me” and again sang, with Tania, “Next Time I Fall” (a 1986 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song originally sung with Amy Grant for Cetera's 1986 album Solitude/Solitaire).

Cetera then again teamed up with Chris (in lieu of original lead and background vocal Bill Champlin), to sing "Hard Habit to Break" (from the 1984 album Chicago 17) before going solo again with the minor hit “Dialogue (Part I & II)” (from the 1972 album Chicago V).  "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" (the ending theme in the movie and soundtrack for the 1982 film Summer Lovers), supposedly the last song for the night, brought the crowd up on its feet and wanting more.

The concert really hit the high gear with the encore as Cetera obliged the crowd with his fairly rocking version of the Spenser Davis Groups's “ I’m A Man” (from Chicago’s 1969 debut album, The Chicago Transit Authority) and concluded his impressive performance (with the band's energy seemingly elevated) with the rocking 1973 hit "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" (from the album Chicago VI) and the signature hit "25 or 6 to 4" (from the 1969 second album, Chicago).

Even at age 72 (he will be 73 this coming September 13), Cetera’s unmistakable tenor voice was still as distinctive and powerful as it’s ever been, with its familiar phrasing and pitch.  Not once, during the concert, did he come close to missing a note. Peter even hit the demanding falsetto for "If You Leave Me Now." His voice seemed a little mellower on some of the ballads.

He was also such a great showman, giving background info on a number of his songs.  The band members were also great, especially his talented duet singers Tania (who ably handled the Cher and Amy Grant duets) and Chris.  The venue was perfect for the occasion.  The energy was missing at the early part of the show (maybe it was just the crowd or his solo hits didn't stand up as well as his Chicago hits) but it picked up later on as the Chicago songs excited the crowd. Perhaps, at this point of his 4 decade long career, Cetera wanted to finish strong. This entertaining and deeply satisfying septuagenarian can still rock-and-roll as well as melt a lady's heart.