MUSIC
COURTESY SOCIETY OF SEVEN
The Society of Seven of 1975, clockwise from top center: Alfredo Romero, Don Gay, Terry Lucido, Albert Maligmat, Roberto Nievera, Bert Sagum and Tony Ruivivar. Maligmat has returned to the SOS, reuniting with Sagum and group leader Ruivivar, to play Hawaii Theatre.
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SOS keeps looking ahead
Through deaths and disasters, the Society of Seven show up
"THE SHOW must go on!"
The Society of Seven has lived by that maxim from Day 1. Never mind everyday stuff like the flu, flat tires or domestic drama. The SOS rolls with the hammer blows, too.
Society of Seven
With Lani Misalucha and Martin Nievera
Place: Hawaii Theatre
Time: 7:30 p.m. Friday, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $45, $55 and $65
Call: 528-0506 or online at www.hawaiitheatre.com
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When Danny Ruivivar died in 1971, the group paused, found someone to fill his spot -- not replace him, but fill the empty spot -- and moved on.
When Terry Lucido faced life-threatening health problems 10 years later, they found someone to cover until he was able to rejoin them, performed as a group of eight for the rest of his life, and then downsized back to seven.
The SOS was hit with another terrible loss in January when Gary Bautista, a member since 1983 and one of the most versatile of all, died suddenly during a show in California. Only Bert Sagum, a founding member of the group, and Hoku Low, who celebrates his 29th anniversary with SOS this summer, had been with leader Tony Ruivivar longer than Bautista. The four had been the core of the group around which other combinations of members came and went.
Ruivivar, Sagum, Low and Bautista were also the four-man front line, and handled much of the comedy as well as lead vocals. Celebrity impressions have been an important part of the SOS repertoire for three decades, and Bautista was the group's top impressionist.
Some groups might have folded. Others might have canceled shows. Ruivivar says his group's only concern was honoring their commitments.
"Gary would have been the first one telling us to go on and do a great show, and we are," Ruivivar says. As seven members are required to make the group complete, Albert Maligmat -- known to old-time fans as "Little Albert" -- has rejoined the group, temporarily at least, for a show at Hawaii Theatre this weekend.
"Albert offered to help out, and he's a quick learner. Of course, Gary is irreplaceable, but Albert came in, and between all the boys -- Bert, Hoku, Wayne (Wakai), me, Roy (Abellar), Roy (Guerzo) and Albert -- everybody picked up the slack. Albert went in there and he did all the choreography, all the lyrics. He got it down."
Ruivivar says the transition is eased by the fact that most members of the group play several instruments. Sagum, Abellar and Maligmat all play drums, for example, and Maligmat and Low both play bass.
"It's been perfect," Ruivivar says. "For shows in Guam and Texas, we've had four standing ovations."
As always, Ruivivar has found ways to capitalize on each new combination of talent. Roberto Nievera and Maligmat were powerful assets back in the mid-1970s, but their successors, Jun Polistico and Billy Rivera, brought a new set of strengths.
"A lot of people missed the show when we were here last year, and if they haven't seen the show with Lani they should discover Lani Misalucha," Ruivivar says. "She sings, dances and does comedy."
And just like those late-night infomercials, there's more! Martin Nievera, son of Roberto, and an international star in his own right, is coming back from the Philippines to emcee. It's a safe bet he'll sit in with the SOS as well.
"We're going to miss Gary," Ruivivar says, wrapping up, "but we're looking forward to a fantastic concert."