What we can do for OPM

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Regine Velasquez-Alcasid with other OPM luminaries: Gary Valenciano and husband Ogie Alcasid during the recent PMPC Star Awards for Music. (George L. Calvelo, NPPA Images)

Regine Velasquez-Alcasid is set to perform in "Silver," her concert tonight, Nov. 16, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. This is an event that not only celebrates a career milestone, but also one rare spectacle in recent months, if not years—an actual, major solo OPM concert from a top artist.

This is definitely a most welcome development, given the overkill of foreign acts that have performed and will mount tour stops in the country.

While we rejoice that Regine has bucked the trend, at least in the meantime, and staged a concert sure to be one of her best given that it celebrates her 25th year in the business, we cannot ignore what has become of the OPM concert scene.

The glory days

I vividly remember those days in the 80s and 90s when Gary Valenciano, Martin Nievera, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Regine, and other OPM luminaries would each mount at least two concerts a year and fill to the rafters such venues as the Araneta Coliseum, ULTRA or Cuneta Astrodome.

And every one of the SRO crowd would