Artists, fans speak out on irresponsible show promoters

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom  

Published Jul 2, 2026 03:18 pm

Live music in the Philippines runs on a simple setup. An organizer mounts a show, books a venue, negotiates artists' fees, handles logistics and promotions, and fans buy tickets to see their favorite acts. At its core, the system relies on trust.

But according to artists, venues, labels, and fans, a troubling pattern has emerged in recent years. Several events organized by different production groups have reportedly ended with unpaid fees, last-minute cancellations, and organizers becoming difficult—or impossible—to contact afterward.

As a disclaimer, this article is based on publicly available statements and interviews from artists, venues, labels, and fans regarding separate incidents involving show organizers. The events discussed are not presented as legally connected unless publicly confirmed. Any individual or organization mentioned is welcome to provide their side, clarification, or additional context so this story may be updated. 

One of the most talked-about incidents involved a Baguio concert organized by Gideon Productions featuring The Ridleys and It All Started in May at Smoke & Barrel. Although the event had been promoted and tickets had already been sold, it was eventually canceled.

According to the bands, they did not receive the agreed compensation for the show.

Smoke & Barrel also reportedly reached out to ask whether the event was pushing through after payment for the venue had yet to be settled.

Following the cancellation, The Ridleys' Benny Manaligod posted a warning on social media: "Never work with Gideon Productions."

In an interview, Manaligod said the band initially had confidence in Gideon Productions because they had previously worked together successfully on a show in Bonifacio Global City. However, he said following up on payment became increasingly difficult. The situation escalated when the venue itself contacted the band to ask about the status of the event because of outstanding payment.  

The Baguio incident was not the first time artists had publicly raised concerns involving Gideon Productions.

An earlier concert featuring Bita and the Botflies, fitterkarma, and Jamiela also drew complaints over payment. Jamiela later released a public statement saying that neither she nor her label had received payment several days after the event.

Some musicians who performed at the show said they had been told they would be paid in cash on the day after organizers cited online banking issues. They added that communication reportedly stopped after the concert, while Gideon Productions' Facebook page later became inactive.

Within the independent music community, similar stories have circulated for years.

Several production sources told us that they had heard comparable complaints dating back to 2018. Some also believe the Baguio concert may have been one of several similar incidents reported this year.

The reporting also led to another production group that has figured in separate public controversies: Sunnyside Productions.

Among its most widely discussed incidents was the postponed fan meeting and concert of Ashtine Olviga. Some fans reported delays in receiving refunds, while several fan bases sought assistance from Viva Artists Agency after claiming Sunnyside Productions had become unresponsive.  

Sunnyside Productions was also the organizer behind FELIP's "The Cypher Room" concert, which was canceled just hours before it was scheduled to begin on May 16, 2026.

FELIP's management said the artist himself had only been informed of the cancellation shortly before the event and emphasized that the decision did not come from him.

His legal representatives later issued a statement saying they were coordinating with the relevant parties and that the matter was being handled while protecting the artist's contractual rights and obligations.

At present, there has been no public confirmation that Gideon Productions, Sunnyside Productions, or the individuals associated with them are connected.

What has emerged, however, is a recurring pattern described across multiple, separate incidents: artists and suppliers reporting delayed or unpaid compensation, events being canceled on short notice, communication breaking down afterward, and organizers' social media pages becoming inactive.

For independent musicians, these situations mean more than canceled performances. They can result in lost income, unrecoverable production expenses, and damaged trust throughout the live music community.

Despite these setbacks, many artists have remained committed to their audiences.

After the canceled Baguio show, The Ridleys returned to the city for "The Ridleys in Baguio (For Real This Time!)" at Pugon by Amare, Camp John Hay, giving fans the concert they had originally looked forward to. The band is also preparing for its biggest headlining event yet, "The Ridleys: Our Story," a three-night concert at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.

The Philippine live music scene ultimately depends on trust. Fans trust organizers with their money. Artists trust them with their livelihood. Venues trust them with their business.  

When that trust is broken, the effects ripple across everyone involved. Many in the industry hope these incidents encourage stronger safeguards for artists, venues, and audiences alike—so that the focus remains where it belongs: on the music. (Ian Ureta)

Filipino Talent - Asian Audience

By: Cora Llamas, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Bobby Barreiro, Tony Tuviera and Bobby Garcia of Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group (Ateg). In celebrating Filipino talent in whatever form, Ateg’s message for all Filipinos, audience and artists alike, is “Be proud of who you are,” says Barreiro. PHOTO FROM ATLANTIS THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

After decades of making television shows and transforming their talents into stars (just recently, the phenomenal AlDub love team), Bobby Barreiro and Tony Tuviera are working toward realizing their dream of bringing Filipino artists to the attention of an Asian audience.

And they have started with theater, stoking a personal passion for the art form which they have long enjoyed as private members of the audience.

Barreiro and Tuviera are the producers who make up two thirds of Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group (Ateg); resident director and Atlantis founder Bobby Garcia is the third.

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Merger

The current organization is a merger of Garcia’s original theater company Atlantis Productions, and Ten Bridges Media, owned and managed by the first two gentlemen.

The partnership was formed in 2014, and Barreiro and Tuviera had their first crack at producing musical theater when they mounted “Ghost,” which starred Christian Bautista and Cris Villonco and was directed by Garcia, in 2014.

For 2016, Atlantis will be showcasing two musicals: “Jersey Boys,” the hit musical about Frankie Valli and the 1950s boy band the Four Seasons; and “Fun Home,” the award-winning piece on a lesbian daughter’s coming-to-terms with her gay father.

Ateg’s version of the disco-movie-turned-theater-showcase “Saturday Night Fever” might also tour again in other countries in Asia, after finishing a profitable run in Singapore and Malaysia in 2015.

No dates have been set as of press time, but all of them will open by the last half of the year, probably to avoid a collision with the Australian run of the Schonberg-Boublil musical, “Les Misérables,” which runs at The Theatre in Solaire from March to May.

Sound marketing

A sound marketing strategy is part and parcel of the package that Barreiro and Tuviera bring to their game. Aside from the usual standards of quality and audience preferences, the two always consider other factors such as the material’s suitability for a Filipino cast, who are expected to perform at their best, and the feasibility of touring the same production to a wider audience outside the Philippines.

A case in point was “Saturday Night Fever.” Despite positive reviews and ticket sales, the musical, which was a different version from the one seen in New York, made more money in its Singaporean and Malaysian tour than it did in its Manila performance.

It was part of their learning curve, says Barreiro. “We had to import talent, not just the actors but even the crew; the lighting and sound directors came from New York and Australia. We had to import sets from Australia that could be rebuilt here. But we wanted to come up with something that we could be proud of and bring, regionally.”

The casting of the Caucasian leads in “Fever” was done with an Asian audience in mind, Barreiro admits. Still, he and his partner are working for the day when they can bring a majority of Filipino talent to theaters outside the Philippines through musical theater, and in time, perhaps through other kinds of performance arts like concerts.

“All you have to do is look at the international talent shows to see Filipinos excelling,” says Barreiro. “Our studies showed that, in some countries like Malaysia, if you put up a sign outside a club that says a Filipino band is playing, the audience would increase. Tony and I wanted to promote Philippine talent, and not just the bands. We came to Bobby, whom we had worked with in certain projects at GMA 7, and our visions aligned.”

Invitation

The Atlantis duo also sees the establishment of new theater venues in the country—such as Resorts World Manila’s Newport Theater, The Theatre in Solaire  and the Power Mac Center Spotlight in Circuit Makati—as a virtual invitation to develop more shows.

“You have theaters, but you do have to develop the content for the market. The Filipino theater market is small; we are more for concerts and movies, and we are heavy users of TV.  Plus, a limited number of runs in a theater that has a limited number of seats makes the cost of tickets high. That’s why we were happy with theater successes like Peta’s [Philippine Educational Theater Association] ‘Rak of Aegis.’ We are now finding a way how to price our tickets to make them more affordable to a broader market.”

Tuviera adds that while the Filipino theater audience is still small compared to concert-goers, “it seems to be growing. People look forward to the next shows and ask you about it, and a lot of them are young.”

Singapore, meanwhile, “is building new theaters and they have to put content there,” says Barreiro. “But to always import shows directly from the United States or United Kingdom is expensive. You also have to keep logistics in mind. The cost is making some Singaporean producers look at other options. Our objective is to create top quality shows [for these international theaters] at less cost.”

Partnership possibilities

Their success in Manila and other Asian cities has brought Atlantis to the attention of theater operators outside the Philippines. The licensor of “Fever” offered to bring their interpretation of the dance-musical to Japan and Korea.

Some Asian theater producers have also begun talks with them on partnership possibilities not necessarily limited to musical theater. Atlantis, for instance, was tapped to oversee the Manila talent casting for the London run of “Here Lies Love,” the David Byrne-Fatboy Slim musical about Imelda Marcos.

Western musicals with familiar titles and a proven audience record, but performed mostly by Filipino talent—that is the driving vision of Atlantis. However, a homegrown original musical is also in the works, although the producers are wont to give scant details at this time.

“It is Filipino, but it can cater to a bigger market because of the story,” says Tuviera. We had initial plans to test it first as a short piece with a small audience, but decided to just move forward and develop it into a full-length play.”

Barreiro adds, “It will reach out to the OFW [overseas Filipino worker] audiences. In producing Western musicals, I have asked myself if we are just catering to the elite.” But, in celebrating Filipino talent in whatever form, he says Atlantis carries a bigger message for all Filipinos, audience and artists alike: “Be proud of who you are.”

(Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct “Fun Home”s description as about a lesbian, not heterosexual, daughter.)

Read more: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/219484/bobby-barreiro-tony-tuviera-and-a-new-theater-road-map-filipino-talent-asian-audience#ixzz3xNsJJ2UH
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