Snowivy’s Weblog

 

It has been a week since we went to the Eraserheads Final Set concert (03072009). It was a celebration of the Eheads’ music and a happy ending to their abrupt disbandment 7 years ago. Thus, I wouldn’t  miss writing a post about it so please bear with me hehe. 

Here are my reviews for the concert:

Performances 10/10

What really registered into my mind after the concert was how the Eraserheads were a lot more fun to listen to this time around. There is more band rapport and audience interaction. I take this a sign that the four of them are already in good terms. Of all the band members I think Ely and Raimund are definitely hyped up. Ely displayed a lot more showmanship on this concert compared to previous one. Last time at the Fort he just played and there was dead air between each song. Saturday’s concert proved that they really meant the concert for their fans and avid supporters. Ely several times looked at his back for Raimund’s cue (Hay kakakilig! haha), and did the same for Buddy and Marcus. I think it was no less than three times that he said ’Maraming Salamat’ and even said ‘Ang bait niyo’. Perhaps they feel indebted that a lot more came even after the aborted concert last year. Another kilig moment was Raimund side by side with Ely while singing ‘Slo Mo’ and the ‘group bow’ after playing ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’. I think Ely said it more than twice said ‘We are the Eraserheads’ and thrice bidding goodbye. Of course most of the crowd wouldn’t leave unless they hear them play ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’.

Venue 8/10

In terms of the concert location and setup, I favor the Fort Open field over the MOA concert grounds. The MOA concert grounds is flat and provides scant elevation such that those at the silver and bronze areas could hardly see the band onstage. Add to that the hordes of people who came to watch the concert. The silver and bronze areas brimmed with people and you surely envy those at the VIP and gold areas that have enough breathing space and have a good view of the stage. If only the Eheads didn’t give a fun show I would really feel shortchanged for the tickets we bought. I could barely see the stage. It’s like 95% of the concert I just viewed it from the screen in front of us. The Smart booths are not properly located as they take up much of the already narrow viewing space. On the other hand, the sea breeze provides the necessary air for the cramped space and the location is more accessible. Moreover, there are more viewing screens this time around.

Crowd 8/10

The crowd was larger in this concert. I had a fun time on the first reunion concert since there were fewer people and the people around us are always game and you can tell that they are really Eheads fans/enthusiasts. However, at MOA, I couldn’t help but rant about the lack of consideration on some people around us. In the middle of the songs people just pass by in front of you and push you. Some also smoked heavily. I was really meaning to make the most out of it but other people do not seem to care for those watching. I think those people are just there for the sake of saying that they were there. Well they should have shown some consideration for other people who were there to watch the concert. That may be the reason why I didn’t enjoy ‘Minsan’ as I thought I should have. There are even two guys who tried to pick on my sister when she insisted on her place. When they saw me flaring my nostrils, they backed off. (Oops.. please forget the last sentence, I am just exaggerating hehe). But yeah I cannot generalize people, maybe it just so happens that we are situated among annoying people, whereas others who attended seemed to have basked on the whole show.

Set list 10/10

True to their words, the bulk of the Eraserheads’ set list are from their first three commercial albums, namely Circus, Cutterpillow and UltraElectromagneticPop. The set list in my opinion are cleverly picked, too bad only that they didn’t get to sing one of my favorites, ‘Para sa Masa’. Here is the list of the songs and the albums they were taken from:

    Set 1

    1. Magasin [Circus]

    2. Walang Nagbago [Cutterpillow]

    3.  Maling Akala [UltraElectromagneticPop]

    4. Maskara [Carbon Stereoxide]

    5. Poor Man’s Grave [Cutterpillow]

    6. Waiting for the Bus [Cutterpillow]

   7. Huwag Mo Nang Itanong [Cutterpillow]

   8. Slo mo [Cutterpillow]

   9. Alkohol [Circus]

   10. Insomnia [Circus]

  11. Torpedo [Cutterpillow]

   Set 2

   12. Julie Tearjerky [Aloha Milkyway]

   13. Tikman [Bananatype EP]

   14. Wishing Wells [Circus]

   15. Fine Time [Cutterpillow]

   16. Pare Ko [UltraElectromagneticPop]

   17. Kailan (Lounge) [Circus]

  18. Back2Me [Cutterpillow]

   19. Trip to Jerusalem [FruitCake]

   20. Spolarium [Sticker Happy]

   21. Overdrive [Cutterpillow]

   Set 3

   22. Superproxy [Cutterpillow]

   23. Minsan [Circus]

   24. Alapaap [Circus]

   25. Kaleidoscope World

   26. Huling El Bimbo [Cutterpillow]

   For the Road

   27. Ligaya [UltraElectromagneticPop]

   28. Sem break [Circus]

   29. Toyang [UltraElectromagneticPop]

So that makes 29 songs, 11 songs from Cutterpillow, 8 Circus, 4 UltraElectromagneticPop (2 for the pahabol songs), 1 each from Sticker Happy, Carbon Stereoxide, Aloha Milkyway, Bananatype EP and FruitCake albums. Kaleidescope world is Francis M’s song, which they played only the chorus, as tribute to the Rap Legend.

Personal comments

AVP and Set 1

1. I don’t think anyone really paid attention to the VJs when they were plugging for MTV shows and sponsor promos. Some even booed them. But yeah, the concert wouldn’t also be possible without the sponsors.

2. The MTV AVP is good, it gave us a glimpse of how they started and ended up with individual pursuits today. It made me think that Ely looks a lot better today compared before! Hehe

3. The letter down was cool (Remember Raimund said that there will be no countdowns? Totoo nga).

4. Magasin was not as grand as last year’s intro song Alapaap but nevertheless a very good booster for the crowd waiting for the concert to start. Of course, the fireworks display also readied the people for the show.

5. Just like in Magasin, Ely modified some of the lyrics of Maling Akala, making the crowd cheer. I think he also said something prior to starting Maling Akala.

6. Marcus shows off his guitar skills at Maskara, although at this point in the concert he seems to be very serious, pensive not to commit a mistake.

7. Ely started off with the higher pitch of the trademark chords for Poor Man’s Grave. Raising his hand looking to the side (Buddy) and at slightly to his back (Raimund) he acknowledged his miss and started off again. It was really forgivable, especially to the fans who cheered as he started to gesture to his band mates, something we didn’t see last time. I am glad they played this song since it is one of my favorites. We see Raimund licking his lips on the lyrics  ’Licking every boot he sees just to survive’.

8. Marcus’ Markus highway version of Huwag mo nang itanong is a winner! I think nobody would resist laughing during his performance. Ang kulit talaga! ‘Huwag mo nang itanong….. di ko sasabihin sa ‘yo’. Meron pang ‘chika ang inabot ko’ at ’walang kachuchuran’ hahaha. He really loosened up when he sang this song.

9. Raimund in the house! Raimund definitely knows how to rock. I really liked his performance on Slo Mo. He walked across the stage and even stood near Ely for a minute or so while singing Slo Mo. It is funny that these two both have eyeliners on! Birds of the same color fly together di ba? este feather pala Haha.

10. After Raimund, we were really hoping that Buddy would sing. Kahit sana yung ’Tama Ka’ from their Natin99 album. You can hear the crowd saying ’si Buddy naman’. Seems he’s shy. hehe

11. It was really a nice idea that for at least 12 minutes Ely passes his mic for others to sing. Not only have we enjoyed it, he also got some minutes to rest, before he sang the energetic closing for the first set, Torpedo.

Set 2 

1. We were ushered into a homey setup for this set, so we already expected that this set would be an acoustic jam. Ely asked the audience ‘How do you like our new house?’. He even asked us to pass requests on a 1/4 sheet of lengthwise paper. Ely ikaw ba yan?. Haha

2. I was really wondering how they would be playing Wishing Wells live and no doubt they played it really well. Jazz Nicolas is really a jack of all instruments. Pati triangle tinutugtog haha.

3. Fine Time is also one of my most liked performances. Seems that they were really having a fine time singing this song.

4. Pare Ko and Overdrive was a crowd favorite, I think all sang with the band when they played this.

5. Sa Kailan (Lounge) version, si Ely parang may song recital, si Jazz keyboard recital naman haha!

6. The words I remember for Back2Me (Weweweeeeee) Trip to Jerusalem (Spin spin spin)

7. I think it was in Spolarium that Ely was crouching with his guitar, as if fixing something. Only after the concert did Michelle explained that this was how they produced that eerie sound for this song. At first I thought there was something with his guitar connection.

8. At the end of Overdrive, Ely was already saying good night but no one was leaving the grounds. Sino ba nga namang aalis kung di pa nila nakakanta yung Huling El Bimbo?

9. I think it was somewhere in this set na pumiyok si Ely.

Set 3 and for the Road

1. Although Ely rapped on Superproxy for the UltraElectroMagneticJam tribute album, it was my first time to see him do it live. He did it well.

2. Minsan and Alapaap didn’t get into me, perhaps because of some people in our area.

3. The for the Road performances were more laid back. We see Ely making changes on the lyrics, walking across and sitting on the stage. Ang cute din nilang tatlo nila Raimund at Buddy nung nag-uusap sila kung ano ang tutugtugin. Ely also missed some lyrics from Sembreak. Realizing he made a mistake, he looked at his bandmates and said ‘Ay tapos na!’ haha.

4. Some people in the VIP got to sing some lyrics of Toyang. Poor Tim Yap, he sang the wrong lyrics.

5. Huling El Bimbo was definitely the grandest way to cap off the night. Setting fire on the Sticker Happy piano seems to symbolize the ending of the Eraserheads story. It was a bittersweet ending with or without group hugs.

To the Eraserheads, thank you very much for pulling off a fun and great concert! Although I did not get to enjoy the concert to the fullest, the experience is certainly for keeps, whether it was the Eheads’ Huling El Bimbo or not.