A night to remember: An Eraserheads Experience

It's been a week since the Eraserheads' one-night reunion concert and I still can't get over it.

I've read a lot of blogs, have seen thousands of pictures and have been a constant visitor of You Tube over the past week. The Eraserheads fever is still in the air. I can still smell it. :)

The Eraserheads' one-night reunion concert was held last Saturday, August 30, 2008, at the Bonifacio Open Field in Taguig. Thousands of people came to witness the band, dubbed as the "Beatles of the Philippines," perform together again after 6 long years.

Excitement was written on everyone's faces. When the timer was flashed on screen, everyone, me included, screamed our lungs out during the last 10 seconds. It was like New Year's Eve. Funny thing is, we did that for every last 10 seconds of every minute. Ang kulit, hehe!

And then there they were. All four of them. In one stage.

It was so surreal.

It was also so fitting to have Alapaap as the first song. It was only the beginning and yet, super parang nasa alapaap na talaga yung feeling. The impact of the song was made even stronger by the fireworks and of course, the fans singing along.

From the first to the last song of the first set, the crowd was so pumped up. There were even chants of "group hug" in between songs. And nakikisigaw rin kami ng mga kasama ko since malapit kami dun sa mga guys who started it. Hehe! (Note: nasa patron kami. I think kalat-kalat naman yung sumisigaw ng group hug. Basta from where we at, nasa unahan lang namin yung mga guys na sumisigaw.) Anyhow, the band performed 15 wonderful songs for their first set. Actually, I already got more than my money's worth when they played "Shake yer head," one of my many, many favorites. I told my sister "Ok nako, tinugtog na nila yung Shake yer head KO."

First break.

Supposedly, it was a just a 20-minute break. But it took longer. Then, Raimund, Buddy and Markus showed up on stage, with Lally, Ely's sister. No sign of Ely. Clearly, there was something wrong with this picture.

And then the announcement was made.

The concert had to be cut short because Ely was rushed to the hospital.

People were so shocked. I was shocked. I was nearly in tears. We were asked to say a silent prayer for Ely and it felt kinda strange. I felt like I was praying for someone I know personally. Someone like family.

'Though it had to end on a sad note, I was glad and a bit surprised because I didn't hear any boos or jeers from the crowd. Everyone was very understanding. We were one in saying, though indirectly, that Ely's health is far more important than getting our (full) money's worth. But come to think of it, we did get more than our money's worth already. I, personally, didn't feel like I was short-changed. Come on, 15 songs pare! Magrereklamo ka pa ba nun?!? Naman, naman.

O sige, at one point, you'd feel bitin. Bitin in the sense that I didn't want them to stop playing. It's not like they planned to cut the concert short, that it was intentional. Remember, it was just supposed to be a 20-minute break. They were to play 15 more songs. It wasn't the band's fault that it had to end that way, nor Ely's. And 15 songs is 15 songs! Super sulit parin.

I've read insensitive remarks and heard negative comments about the concert and the members of the band. I choose to not dwell on those. I know better. And oh yeah, I am still overwhelmed by the whole experience. :) I won't let any guy/girl, I don't even know, ruin that for me. Belat nyo. :P

This early, there have been talks about a part 2. It will have to wait. The most important thing right now is for Ely to recover fully. We all don't want him to go under the knife again, do we?

Let me end this post by giving thanks to the following:

1. Marlboro/Philip Morris (which is quite ironic, because I don't smoke and I hate cigarettes, "irresponsible smokers," if there's such a thing, etc.)

2. Sony-BMG/Radiohead Productions (for taking over PM)

3. The Fans (if not for our endless pangungulit for a reunion, malamang walang one-night reunion concert)

4. And of course, Eraserheads, the band, itself.

To Ely, Raimund, Buddy and Markus, thank you so much for setting aside your differences and for giving us a one helluva show. It was definitely a night I will never forget. :)