Following the cancellation of his 2017 Philippine concert, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor made his long-awaited return to Manila on Monday, April 8, for his “An Evening with James Taylor” concert tour with his All-Star Band at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Greeting the crowd with timeless hits, Filipino artists Noel Cabangon and Ice Seguerra kicked off the concert with classics like ‘Pagdating ng Panahon’ and ‘Kanlungan.’
Fans were brought back to the good old days after Taylor opened his much-anticipated set with “Something in the Way She Moves,” a song he said he performed for Beatles’ George Harrison and Paul McCartney that led to his signing with Apple Records.
“It took a very, very long time. Thanks for having us back,” Taylor expressed.
Other songs, including “That’s Why I’m Here,” “Anywhere Like Heaven,” “Never Die Young,” “Country Road,” “Fiddle & Drum,” “Sweetheart James,” and “Handy Man” were among those he sang next.
Age may have taken its toll on his voice, but his guitar playing stayed sharp. In fact, Taylor stunned the audience with his harmonica prowess to accompany his superb performance of “Steamroller.”
Along with sharing some of his notable memories throughout his career, fans were also moved to see Taylor introduce his incredible band and backing vocalists, always reaching out to give them a hug or a handshake.
The award-winning artist also sang “Mexico,” “Long Ago & Far Away,” “Carolina In My Mind,” “Fire & Rain,” “Up On The Roof,” “Shower The People,” and “Your Smiling Face” to round up his performance.
The audience, however, cheered for more when Taylor and his band returned to the stage.
“Thank you so much, Manila. You’re wonderful. We can’t leave without playing this,” Taylor said and went on to sing his all-time fan-favorite hit song, “You’ve Got A Friend,” to the enthusiastic applause of the Filipino crowd.
He also sang “How Sweet It Is” and granted the audience with “You Can Close Your Eyes” to officially conclude his Manila concert.
Taylor lingered onstage to sign autographs for a few fortunate fans as they made their final bows.