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You’d think that The CompanY’s 40th anniversary concert last Saturday at Solaire’s The Theatre wouldn’t be complete without Everlasting Love.
Released in 1991, it was their first pop radio hit from the debut album “Yon Na,” and it changed everything for the group, who had been hustling for five years prior. Not only was it a commercial success, it also earned them multiple accolades, including their first Gold Record award.
So when the country’s premier vocal group — Moy Ortiz, Annie Quintos, Sweet Plantado and OJ Mariano — announced they were skipping Everlasting Love on their most important night yet, some audience members might have felt a bit disappointed.
Truth is, the group hasn’t been able to perform it for two years now. “The song was — and still is — a huge blessing to us,” Sweet said. “Sadly, we can no longer perform our first hit because circumstances have prohibited us from doing so. We haven’t sung the song in two years, and we miss it.”
‘Asia’s premier vocal group’ The CompanY — made up of Moy Ortiz, Annie Quintos, OJ Mariano and Sweet Plantado — turns 40 with a concert at The Theatre at Solaire.
Photos by Yan Caringal
If there was any disappointment, it didn’t last — or even show. As The CompanY had the audience, instead, singing along to a 30-year-old video performance of Everlasting Love with National Artist Ryan “Mr. C” Cayabyab on piano, while they did a live counterpoint: You and Me Baby, a Moy Ortiz original written as a tribute to the “everlasting love” of their fans.
It was a touching moment that still stayed in tune with the night’s feel-good, “no-tears” tone, thanks to Moy’s friendly reminders before anyone could even begin to get emotional.
And feel-good, even funny, moments came aplenty. The concert was really a celebration and a thanksgiving. But even after four decades, the group remains in awe of their journey. “We are celebrating 40 years tonight because four very different people deliberately made a choice to stay together,” Annie said onstage. “And just like in life — and in music — we are always better and stronger together.”
Early in the show, they debuted Sabay, a song written especially for them by US-based singer-songwriter Nar Cabico, referencing some of their biggest hits. Along with the opening number All Night Celebrate, it’s part of the Company40 EP, which was also launched during the concert.
The group performs signature revivals and original pop classics, spanning decades and generations.
Honoring the past
But before they fully went on “celebrating the now” and “pressing on to the future,” The CompanY revisited their roots. Their name was inspired by the 1970 Stephen Sondheim musical “Company.” They started as an eight-member group and got their first break after being handpicked by Mr. C to be backup singers for Celeste Legaspi’s “Komiks Konsiyerto” at the CCP.
This trivia set the stage for one of the night’s most creative segments: an OPM medley where the group only did backup vocals, allowing the audience the rare opportunity to take the spotlight as “lead singers.”
The setlist also featured songs written by industry friends Babsie Molina and Edith Gallardo, such as Sana Nga (Ikaw Na), Kung Kailan Pa, as well as Pakisabi Na Lang (co-written with Moy), a track rejected for Raymond Lauchengco’s album. “Hindi pumasa. Thank God!” Moy quipped.
The CompanY continued the trip down the memory lane through signature revivals and original pop classics, spanning decades and generations — all while poking fun at their longevity. “We started out as ‘favorite ko kayo,’ then became ‘favorite kayo ng ate at kuya ko,’ then ‘favorite kayo ni Mama at Papa’ — and now we’re headed toward ‘favorite kayo ni Lola at Lolo ko!’” Sweet joked.
They also reflected on how they’ve survived the trends — from the alternative era to revivals, acoustic, bossa nova and now, even P-pop, led by acts like SB19 and BINI.
“We just wanted to ask, would you still support The CompanY if we tried P-pop?” they teased, before presenting their P-pop act, Co.40, and the song Bente, a cheeky nod to senior citizen discounts. The number, complete with dance choreography, was one of the evening’s standouts, earning a mid-show standing ovation. “Take a picture of this (the standing ovation), then post it, make it viral!” they jokingly urged the audience.
The CompanY credits National Artist Ryan Cayabyab with their first break in the industry via Celeste Legaspi’s ‘Komiks Konsiyerto’ at the CCP.
Also spotlighted were the solo careers of Sweet and OJ, who joined the group in 1999 and 2014, respectively, by letting them perform pieces from their theater work. “We believe the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said Moy. “We support each other’s individual projects and passions. We’re proud that OJ and Sweet have built careers in theater and film outside of The CompanY.”
Other crowd-pleasers were a disco-themed segment featuring a song dedicated to plantitos and plantitas, and their own take on BINI’s Pantropiko. But the most nostalgic part came when original members Kathleen Villalon, Tetet Tolentino, Max Aviola, Febe Pantoja and Reuben Laurente joined Moy and Annie for San Ka Man Naroroon, their “Paco Park Presents” debut from 1986.
Aside from the OGs, a theater ensemble and dance crew Terra, the concert had no “special guest artists.” But some of the industry’s VIPs came to support as audience members, including Jose Mari Chan, Buboy Garovillo, Nannette Inventor, Jamie Rivera, Gino Padilla, Aicelle Santos and National Artist Ricky Lee.
Backing The CompanY were Beth Martin, their musical director since early ’90s, with Lawrence Nolan (drums), Jay Agustin (keyboards 2), Caloy Herrera (electric bass) and Noel Santiago (guitar). Director was Paolo Valenciano, fresh from SB19’s “Simula at Wakas,” with GA Fallarme on visuals and John Batalla on lighting. The concert was produced by Stages and co-presented by M-WELL.
“The CompanY40” concert ended with the crowd on their feet. In the encore, things came full circle as the man who gave them their big break, Mr. C, joined them onstage to accompany them on piano as they performed ‘Sang Tawag Mo Lang, a song he gave them when they transitioned into a quartet.
Overall, it hit all the right notes — nostalgic, current and forward-looking — offering moments not found in other shows. What made it truly special, though, was the gratitude that was felt from start to finish.
“Tonight is literally a dream come true for us,” said Moy. “We lived to see this milestone because God said yes and our audience said yes.”
