baboyita.

Eraserheads: The Final Set – A Fine, Fine Time

Originally posted in my other blog, chorva.net.

If you ask me how the concert was last Saturday I’ll just give you the biggest smile I can give. Until today I still can’t get this big smile off my face. I’m in great mood, my happiest in a long time.

People watching the concert are scattered around the Mall of Asia hours before the concert and they can be spotted from afar. They’re either wearing Eheads-related shirts or 3 Stars and the Sun. Most fans of the band are also fans of the late Master Rapper, Francis Magalona.

According to Eraserheads drummer Raimund Marasigan, there will be no more countdowns, no wigs, no green hair. And yes indeed, no more drama but there was some sort of a countdown before the show – alphabet in backwards. It stopped at letter E, the inverted letter E – and the greatest concert event of the year started.

From the moment they sang the first song, Magasin, we felt it; these boys have grown up and everything is okay. Everyone were smiling, clearly having fun, making fun of each other and the crowd, and actually interacting with the crowd. We didn’t witness something like this in the August 2008 Eraserheads concert or even the band’s gigs way before. This band is known for going to the stage, play songs, and then exit; they talk very little to the crowd.

First set
Magasin
Walang Nagbago
Maling Akala
Maskara
Poormans Grave
Waiting For the Bus
Wag Mo Nang Itanong
Slomo
Alkohol
Insomya
Torpedo

Second set
Julie Tearkerky
Tikman
Wishing Well
Fine Time
Kailan
Pare Ko
Back to Me
Trip To Jerusalem
Spolarium
Overdrive

Encore
Super Proxy
Minsan
Alapaap
Kalideoscope World (a trubute to FrancisM)
Ang Huling El Bimbo

Three for the Road (not in the setlist)
Ligaya
Sembreak
Toyang

Video from Inquirer.net

They did not sing hit after hit songs but true blue fans of the band sing along with them. I was all kilig before every song is performed. I was actually praying that I would hear “Poorman’s Grave” and “Waiting For The Bus” next to each other and my prayers were answered. Mahal ako ni Lord!

Marcus Adoro was in his Markus Highway mood; singing “Huwag mo nang Itanong” in reggae made the crowd roar in laughter. It was super fun especially when he started it with, “Chika and inabot ko…” and ended with “At di ko sasabihin sayo”. Labbet!

And of course Raimund should perform too. “Ladies and gentlemen, Raimund Marasigan on vocals!”, Ely introduced him to the crowd. Of course it made us all happy and excited because Raimund will be standing beside Ely on stage. Slomo, Alkohol and Insomia – 3 songs from Lemonlime and he actually stand beside Ely for some photo opp. I told myself I would never ask for a group hug but it was a totally different story when you’re there and you’re seeing them so close with each other. At that moment I thought they would actually put their arms around each shoulders but it didn’t happen. But it’s okay. And because I was so happy I sang Alkohol with wrong lyrics. Nakakahiya, I was singing so loud pa naman.

I love it when they sit down and stripped down for a bit and play some of their songs in acoustic. We all wanted to jump and have some rock and roll but the band was sitting down so we all just swayed our bodies to “Tikman” and “Wishing Well” and we had a “Fine Time” doing that.

Of course we did not leave the venue after they said goodnight, El Bimbo hasn’t performed yet and we’re all expecting a tribute to Francis Magalona.

We want more! We want more!

“Kumanta tayo para kay Francis!” was Ely’s opening marks when they came back on stage. Francis was supposed to perform Superproxy with the band but last Saturday Ely did both the singing and the rap. “Mabuhay si Francis!” was his words after the song.

“Minsan” was a very special song for the band and I think in Ely’s heart it is still special. Francis Magalona’s “Kaleidoscope World” (chorus) is also played as tribute to the man. As expected “El Bimbo” is the last song and while the band plays there were fireworks at the back of the crowd. Ely also burned the Sticker Happy piano on stage as their way of closing the Eheads era in front of all of us. This a way of telling us to move on and accept whatever it is these boys are doing right now. Eraserheads the band may not here to stay but their music will. After all, we’ll still see and hear the boys in their respective bands. Sabi nga ni Ely, “if you want to hear more Eheads, buy a Sandwich album, a Markus Highway album and of course buy a Pupil album”. And yes, Mr. Buendia, we did and we will.

And there it was, A GROUP HUG. Ely was very enthusiastic as he was the one who called the rest of the band to gather at the center of the stage, put their arms at each other’s shoulders/backs and take a bow. Jazz Nicolas was also there and he got a well-deserved applause and respect from most of us.

Good thing we did not leave the concert grounds right away as they went back to perform 3 more songs – not included in the set list. They talked which songs to sing and then it happened. Ligaya, Sembreak, and Toyang. Without a prompter Ely jumped to the 3rd stanza of Sembreak after the first, and when it ended he was a bit confused and asked, “Ay tapos na ba?”. Very funny and cute and only shows that they are really okay. In “Toyang” Ely went to the crowd and asked some fans to sing. As he was going back to the stage he passed the mic to Tim Yap and ask him to sing but the poor guy sang the wrong lyrics thus getting a very loud “Boo!” from the audience. It was later explained by Day Cabuhat in the Eheads mailing list that Tim was there to cover the event and admits he doesn’t know all of the lyrics so I’m going to forgive him.

Some notable funny moments from the concert:
Anne Curtis telling everyone that her favorite Eheads song is “Tindahan ni Aling Nene”. My goodness!
“Kayo muna!” was Ely’s reponse to the crowd asking for group hug.
“Sinong bruha?” – Marcus teasing the crowd, he thought he heard bruha instead of group hug.
“Eh medyo pangit ka pa non, HANGGANG ngayon” – “Magasin”
Ely before “Maling Akala”: “Name that tune”.
In “Maling Akala” – “Maliit na butas lumalaki, konting kuskos AYOS!”.
Ely telling the crowd to write down their song requests in a ¼ sheet of paper, length wise and pass to the waiter.
Ang sablay na intro ng “Poorman’s Grave”. Hahaha!
“Chika ang inabot ko”, “Parang lotto, ang hirap manalo” and “Di ko sasabihin sayo” – Marcus singing reggae version of “Huwag mo nang Itanong” in a conyo accent.
“Slomo + Alkohol + Insomia” live!!!!!
“Kanta para kay Sonia” Raimund in Insomia.
Buddy singing in acapella, “They come to me for donuts” (Fab Bakerboy) then laughs. Sayang di tinuloy.
“Fine Time” in acoustic.
Ely in “Kailan”. He looked like he was still in college!
“Pare Ko” lyrics like “Sabi niya, ayaw niya munang magka-syota, dehins ako naniwala. Yun pala, magaling sa siya sa kama, akala ko ay dehins pa…” Labbet!
Marcus’ Hello Kitty Pink guitar!
Ely asking the crowd to “Sing!”.
Ely’s shoes and jacket thrown to the crowd.
Ely in “Ligaya”: “Gagawin ko ang lahat pati ang MISIS mo”.
Ely asking the crowd to jump: “Talon!!!!!“. Talon kami syempre.
“Ah, tapos na ba?” – Ely jumped to the 3rd stanza of Sembreak and was surprise of what happened. Nakalimutan ang lyrics.
Toyang intro, “This, this, this next song…” – hati hati sila sa intro.
Tim Yap singing “Pen, pen, pen” instead of “Pero, pero, pero, pero malinis to”.
Jazz Nicolas’ shirt says “EXTRA” with an inverted E. Astig!
Ang mga puyok ni Ely. Classic.
Ang mga minsang sablay na palo ni Raimund sa drums. Nakakatuwa.
Ang laging pag-ngiti at pagtawa ni Raimund. Was he on happy pills? Hahaha!
And the audience singing as backup to most of the songs. Parang choir na minsan wala sa tyempo. Hahaha!
And the symbolic burning of the Sticker Happy piano. That marks the end of Eraserheads.

In my opinion this concert is way better than the first one. I’m not saying this because the first was cut short but because last Saturday we witnessed a different Eheads – smiling, having fun, and happy. Yes, they did close the Eheads chapter in front of us but I think people have moved on already. We’re old enough to accept the fact that they’re not getting back together. If you ask me 6 or 7 years ago how I feel about the ‘Heads breaking up I’ll say devastated but now I am actually thankful. Because if they did not have a break up we will not have a reunion concert this great today. Who knows if they’d still be big these days if they did not break up? Maybe people will get tired of their music? Though I won’t be one of those people; All I’m saying is that these boys have come a long way and they have different styles and wants now and we can’t tell them what to do.

Thank you Eraserheads for putting up an unforgettable show and for making us all happy. And who knows, maybe we’ll see you guys again in ten years. Right, Buddy Zabala? I just hope next time Punk Zappa will be there. Oy!

Please get back here for pictures and videos from the concert.