Snowivy’s Weblog

My ticket to this momentous concert

A month ago I had a post about the upcoming E-heads concert. Little did I know that after a month I will also be there to see them perform. The Eraserheads Reunion concert last Saturday has been my first E-heads concert. Even though I haven’t attended any of their concerts before to compare with this one, I would definitely say that it was awesome to see and hear them perform.

I was more than happy to see them perform together onstage after they disbanded 6 years ago. Many could probably be nostalgic of the times when the songs being sung were what they loved to sing during their younger years. Admittedly, when the Eraserheads were at their heyday I know their songs but I was still too young to appreciate much of them.

It was in late high school up until now that I have learned to love them. There is something about the Eraserheads and their songs that made fans out of people with age groups spanning two decades or more, rich or poor. My brother-in-law is about the same age as the band members (more than 10 years my senior) and my younger sister is 4 years my junior, but all of us in our house love them and their songs. Even though each band member has their own flaws, we still love the E-heads as a group for their songs reverberate our youth and experiences.

Back to the concert . My sister and I arrived at the concert grounds 15 minutes before the start and were afraid that we couldn’t watch it from the beginning. Happy we were to find out that the concert was organized and secured. There were a lot of ushers and security personnel outside to ensure safety and order during the concert. The concert-goers were disciplined too, as they line up for the entrance and ticket booths (dapat lang, matanda na kami hehe). Good thing we already bought the tickets 2 days earlier. It took us longer to find the end of the Patron line than to enter the grounds. hehe .

Much to our delight we found a nice place at the right of the patron side where we have some vantage to see the stage and have some air. Just as we got to the spot the countdown to the start of the concert ended and all cheered as we hear the drums and the first few notes of Alapaap played. I thought then that this is history unfolding and how fortunate we were to be there! As Alapaap draws to a close there were fireworks on the stage adding up to the nostalgia of the night which many including myself never believed to have happened too soon and to be too good to be true.

Then played a string of their hits: Ligaya, Sembreak, Hey Jay, Harana, Fruitcake, Toyang, Kamasupra, Kailan, Huwag Kang Matakot, Kaliwete, With a Smile, Shake yer Head, Huwag Mo Nang Itanong, and Lightyears (the last song on the first set where we saw Ely slowly crouching with his guitar). But what stood out for me are the following:
1. Alapaap – because it set the mood for the evening, the sound, the fireworks, haha lahat maganda. Kakatuwa si Raimund green ang buhok hehe.
2. With a Smile and Kailan – the audience were all out in singing, even the Too doo doo (With a Smile) and Dubiduwap (Kailan) parts they sang. Oh well, it was fun singing this with them anyway.
3. Toyang – I liked how Ely quipped this song to “They tried to tell us we’re too…old.
Too old to really go bold.” Hehe funny how they considered themselves old already. I enjoyed this one too because in this part I saw Ely, Marcus, Raimund and Buddy have contact in playing.
4. Harana – The band had a nice take on this song aside from the fact that this is one of my favorites.
5. Sembreak – if I am not mistaken, this is the third song and liked it a lot. The crowd around us apparently are UP students and alumni and all shouted UP! UP! UP! when familiar buildings and spots in UP flashed at the background screen. I and my sister also shouted hehe proud alumni we were hehe.
6. Shake yer Head – Ely was visibly enjoying the song, shaking his head and prompting the crowd to do the same.

At the end of the first set I was hoping that they would play other hits such as Torpedo, Maskara, Huling El Bimbo, Magasin, Minsan, Poor Man’s Grave and Para sa Masa. But came the unexpected announcement to cut the concert short. It was a moment of disbelief on our part. At first I thought it was just a joke as the three remaining band members introduced themselves and Ely’s sister. The truth only sank to me when the concert sponsor reiterated the announcement. We were sad for ely, but thankful that they pushed through with the event thinking of the thousands of people longing to see them perform.

I went to the concert with my tummy grumbling but the heat and hunger seemed to pass when we got to see them perform onstage. Although they did not respond much to the crowd’s clamor for a group hug or we haven’t seen them really close to each other like they used to, seeing them perform together and play that many songs was enough for many. Everybody had a great time from the start, no wonder only a few had rants over the interrupted concert. After the moment of silence, a guy at our back shouted in a loud voice: “Ok lang, Ok lang, basta Eraserheads pa rin kami“. Yes, I think nothing will change that as long as we hold close to our hearts the songs they have left as legacy for our generation. I can’t help feeling the want to see them play again, hopefully when Ely is in good health and when concert details are not rushed as it was this 08302008 concert. At the end of the concert I can’t help remembering how they played With a Smile. How true were the lyrics that:
    You can’t win at everything but you can try.
    …
    And don’t let it bring you down
    And turn your face into a frown
    You’ll get along with a little prayer and a song.
    …
    Lift your head, baby, don’t be scared
    Of the things that could go wrong along the way
    You’ll get by with a smile
    Now it’s time to kiss away those tears goodbye
    You can never be too happy in this life.

Yes, we can never be too happy in this life and we can’t win everything (just like having the whole concert completed until the end) but at least we can try (like what the Eraserheads did for the reunion concert). We can get by through what happened with a prayer, a song and a smile…

By the way, according to a site here should be list of songs in succession for the second set:
    Maskara
    Poorman’s Grave
    Torpedo
    Trip to Jerusalem
    Back to Me
    Maselang Bahaghari
    Maling Akala
    Tikman
    Spolarium
   Magasin
   Para sa Masa
   Overdrive
   Pare ko
   Minsan
   Huling El Bimbo

The first set was already awesome. You could just imagine if the second set did push through. I will definitely be in a state of euphoria. Hehe.
You can also see what my friends have to say about the concert:
http://www.chorva.net/?p=245
http://www.miss-choi.net/2008/528/