Family Entertainment: Martin Nievera

Monday, May 7, 2007 | 7:16 a.m.

Who: Martin Nievera

When: 5 p.m. Saturdays through Thursdays, dark Fridays

Where: Planet Hollywood's Steve Wyrick Theatre

Tickets: $29.95 to $79.95; 777-7794

Just 30 fans rattle around the 500-seat Steve Wyrick Theatre for the 5 p.m. performance of vocalist Martin Nievera.

Some days there are even fewer.

You wouldn't know it from the performance by the 43-year-old singer, who has been a star in his native Philippines for more than 20 years.

"I am told that many Vegas artists, if less than half the show is sold, will cancel," Nievera tells the audience at the outset of the 75-minute show. "I don't cancel. I love what I do. The reason I love what I do is the people in this room right now really wanted to be here - and so do I."

After acknowledging the sparse attendance, the superb singer and charismatic entertainer gives it his all, which is considerable.

He sings medleys of songs from Broadway musicals such as "West Side Story," "Phantom of the Opera" and "Cats." He sings medleys of songs from groups such as Chicago , Tower of Power, Blood, Seat and Tears, a nd Earth, Wind and Fire. He sings the songs of Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole and many, many more.

Nievera's river of talent runs deep and wide.

He's backed by the talented Jenevi Bakch , who often performs with Wayne Newton for the USO, and a superb nine-piece band - including trumpeter Danny Falcone, son of the legendary musical director Vinnie Falcone.

Nievera's nightly concert is filled with great music and a spattering of humor at a reasonable price.

It should be a perfect fit for Las Vegas, yet the show is in trouble.

Why?

For one thing, Nievera has an awkward 5 p.m. slot, shoe-horned between shows by popular ventriloquist Ronn Lucas and magician Steve Wyrick. Nievera, who headlined for several months at the Golden Nugget, is much too big a talent to be working in the shadows.

But more importantly, the show has struggled with finances from the beginning.

An investor hasn't paid the cast and crew and hasn't come up with the money for advertising, says Nievera, who's been selling cars and watches to cover the salaries of his loyal band members and crew.

"I'm told if a musician in Las Vegas is three days late in being paid, he's gone. These people have been with me over a month," Nievera says during an interview. "I'm not proud of saying that I sell these things, and in fact it's getting me in trouble every time I say it. But there's one thing I don't know how to do and that's to be plastic in this business. I have to tell you the truth."

He vows to hang on until he runs out of things to sell.

"Imagine what I'm going through every night, knowing that I'm not sure whether I'm performing again," Nievera says. "Imagine me going up on stage not knowing where I'm going to get the funds to pay everybody."