MANILA, Philippines?Tickets to Charice Pempengco?s concert tomorrow at Mall of Asia?s SMX Convention Center are ?85 percent sold ? pretty impressive, since they went on sale less than three weeks ago,? the singer?s Philippine manager said.

?I just got the report from Ticketnet (the computerized ticket-selling network),? Grace Mendoza, Charice?s business representative here, told the Inquirer on Wednesday.

Charice, the 17-year-old hotshot Filipino singer, has been dividing her time between Manila and Los Angeles, where she?s recording an album for release in the United States.

Tomorrow?s concert, ?The Journey Begins,? is her first local show in a big venue. The SMX Convention Center has a capacity of 8,000. The management of a much bigger venue reportedly tried to persuade Charice?s handlers to hold her show at the Big Dome.

Mendoza took some time to confirm the gig due to the offer, then decided to stick with SMX.

?It?s gonna be a long show,? she said, ?probably more than two hours.?

Among the guests, Charice has put Regine Velasquez on top of the list ?because she?s my idol.? Also joining her onstage are Christian Bautista, Charice?s ?Little Big Star? colleagues, and a 40-member choir.

As befits a world-class performer, Charice will have a full backup band, led by Arnold Jallores ? former lead guitarist of a heavy metal group who now works as a record engineer. Pocholo Concepcion