Singers with a past to go head to head

By Jerry Fink

Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009 | 2 a.m.

The Las Vegas entertainment world is small.

Follow the connection between Martin Nievera and the high-energy show band Society of Seven:

Nievera, a superstar in the Philippines, is making one of his frequent appearances in Las Vegas Friday through Sunday at the Suncoast.

He’ll be joined onstage by his twin sister, Victoria, and their father, Robert.

Robert Nievera was an original member of the Society of Seven. He performed with the group in Hawaii — where his son got the itch to entertain.

The Society of Seven has performed at various locations in Vegas over the past eight years. Martin Nievera was part of the cast of his father’s old troupe for the final two months of last year’s run at the Flamingo.

The Society of Seven returned last week for a long-term engagement at the Gold Coast.

That means the Nievera family and the Society of Seven will be going head to head this weekend.

Martin Nievera recently spoke to the Sun while he was in New York City before heading to Toronto for several concerts with another superstar in the Phillipines, Gary Valenciano.

When Nievera and Valenciano started out in the business 25 years ago they were rivals. Now they are co-stars on a world tour dubbed “As 1.”

“We’re teammates now,” Nievera says.

But the teammates are taking a break for a couple of months and will reunite in February to continue their tour.

While on hiatus, Nievera will perform at the Suncoast. Over the past five years he has had many Vegas engagements, including starring at the Golden Nugget for three months in 2004. Most recently he co-starred at the Suncoast in “Vocal Soup” with Susan Anton, Clint Holmes and Domenick Allen.

Nievera jokes that producer Ed Matthews offered him the three-night gig at the Suncoast but had to look him up seven times on the Internet to find out what he does.

What Nievera does is sing standards and pop hits. He’s recorded more than 30 albums.

He and Valenciano also are using their concerts to raise money for victims of typhoons in the Philippines. The nation was hit hard this year by a series of devastating storms. The two worst took place in September and early October, claiming more than 600 lives and causing more than $300 million in damage.

“That’s what three nights at the Suncoast is doing,” Nievera says. “It’s more than just a gig. It will, hopefully, be another step toward hope and recovery for those folks suffering so badly in the Philippines.

“Half a million people are without homes. Highways are now rivers. Bodies are showing up out of nowhere after being swept away by flooding all over the Philippines. The storms hit everyone — the rich, the poor, the powerful and the weak.”