They say all good things must come to an end. And now, we are down to less than two weeks before the final reunion of who we know as “The Beatles of the Philippines,” the Eraserheads
We recently sat down with band members Buddy Zabala, Raimund Marasigan, Ely Buendia, and Marcus Adoro after their rehearsals for their Huling El Bimbo concert at the Dolphy Theater at the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City—and yes, they were as cool as how we knew them in the ’90s—just laid back as they sipped their red wine.
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50,000 fans are expected to attend their big day on December 22, so Buddy was telling us what the challenge was when that day comes. “Malaki ‘yung venue, malaki ‘yung stage! Marami ‘yung audience! Darami pa ‘yung audience kasi I heard more tickets are being sold. [Now,] the trick and the challenge for us is how to make it feel personal, make it feel more intimate.” Extra challenge is in place as more fans can enjoy the concert because the producers, led by Francis Lumen, are expanding the venue and adding sections. The tickets were initially sold out after just four days from its initial release, moving the producers to expand the capacity of the venue to accommodate more concert goers.
Raimund on the other hand, reminisced his recent encounter with the youth, and shared that he is happy thinking about how we’ll receive their songs after decades. “Bumibili ako ng soft drinks sa 7-Eleven ng alas dos ng madaling araw. ‘Yung katabi nu’n, may videoke, tapos kumakanta sila ng “Pare Ko.” Pumasok ako, nakikanta ako, tapos umalis na ako nang walang picture-an! ‘Di ba? Ang cool nu’n! And that song, Ely played it in his dorm room in 1990—and what year is it now, diba? And it still has the same effect on people.”
We are expected to witness the effect that Eraserheads has on us as Ely promises that Huling El Bimbo isn’t like any other previous reunion concerts. “Because we love our fans, we want to give them something different here. It’s the beginning of a new chapter in our lives and we also want them to have a special memory of Eraserheads as we move forward,” he said.
“Mounting an Eraserhead’s show is no easy feat. But this is no ordinary show—it’s their last and final act in the Philippines, that’s why we are making sure it’s a show that would etch in the memories of all us fans, me included,” Paolo Valenciano, concert director, shared. The technical aspects of the show goes well with the times that there are modern elements added. “Watch out for the drone show and a hologram of the late Francis M.,” Valenciano said. The reunion concert is Eraserheads’ gift to fans as they kick-off the Christmas spirit before the yuletide celebrations.
The show will be complemented by the wonders of an 18-piece orchestra. Mel Villena, the musical director of the show, said, “The concert promises an unforgettable musical experience of Eraserheads.” He continued by adding, “It will be a spectacular visual and auditory experience, and the audience should expect the unexpected. It will be unlike anything ever produced and seen in the country, befitting the legacy of the band.”
Meanwhile, Cignal TV has a gift for those staying home on December 22as there will be a Cignal Pay-Per-View for Huling El Bimbo for only PHP 650. Postpaid subscribers may order online via my.cignal.tv, while prepaid subscribers can go to their nearest Smart Load Retailer and ask them to text “PPV650 (Cignal Account Number)” to 3443. This is also available to SatLite subscribers.
Featured Image XANDER ANGELES