DESPITE hitting a snag in Qatar, where he went after kicking off his Middle East tour on a high note in Dubai on Nov. 27, Gary Valenciano spread Christmas cheer among Filipino expatriates by delivering a superlative show that also turned some non-Filipinos into instant fans.

?It has everything,? enthused a Turkish grandmother who was with the concert?s promoters in Bahrain, referring to the lively blend of upbeat tunes, romantic ballads and inspiring tales that Gary whipped up onstage.

Mr. Pure Energy opened the show with ?Hataw Na,? to the audience?s hysterical reception. Next came ?Lean on Me? and ?Only Hope,? followed by a medley of his hits like ?Babalik Ka Rin.? Then, he went theatrical in his multilingual rendition of the Freddie Aguilar classic, ?Anak.?

Special concert

Gary, who?s on his 25th year in show business, shared that the concert was about his life, and what better way to prove his point than to introduce his audience to the people closest to his heart: His mom, Grimilda Santiago-Ortiz; his kids, Paolo, Gabriel and Kiana, and his wife, Angeli, who was seated beside Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain, Eduardo Pablo Maglaya.

Paolo and Gabriel shared the stage with their father. Gary?s mom and daughter were featured in a music video, singing ?Historia De Un Amor? and ??Wag Mo Na Sanang Isipin,? respectively. Paolo, the rocker, and Gabriel, the dance whiz, were big hits as they jammed with their dad in separate numbers. The latter played the percussions in the ?Shout for Joy? showdown.

Gary shared how his faith helps him triumph over challenges, such as his longtime battle with diabetes and the recent incident in Qatar, where he was denied entry because he had lost his passport.

Overwhelming support

?I was not arrested,? he clarified, adding that he was in fact treated nicely by the Qatari authorities and got overwhelming support from his compatriots, who backed him up until his work as Unicef?s ambassador of goodwill was verified. The Nov. 28 engagement reportedly attracted 10,000 concertgoers. The tour went on as planned in Oman (Dec. 4) and Bahrain (Dec. 5).

?I believe it was meant to happen, as you are meant to be here tonight,? said the grateful Gary before singing his last numbers, ?I Will Be Here? and ?Warrior is a Child.? Gary later reemerged for the encore and energized the crowd with a string of hit songs, including ?Take Me Out of the Dark? and ?Pasko Na, Sinta Ko.? Yes, it felt like Christmas, even if it?s not considered a holiday in this part of the globe!