Eheads for the Last Time

March 7, 2009 and it was The Final Set.

It was dubbed as the “Concert of the Decade,” or continuing the unfinished business. Ehead's music was the soundtrack of my generation. Who would forget “Ligaya,” “Toyang,” and their first hit “Pare Ko” which contains the words... “di ba... !@# Ina!” First came the Ultraelectromagneticpop, Circus, Cutterpillow, Bananatype, Fruitcake, Stickerhappy, Aloha Milky Way, Natin99 and Carbon Stereoxide. Yes, I have them all (in cassette tapes and Cd's). They are the reason why I learned to play the guitar. The Eraserheads brought back to life the alternative rock music scene here in the Philippines.

Hearing their break up six years ago was an end of an era. They went on separate ways. Eheads tried to replace Ely with a female vocalist but it didn't work out. Months after they changed the name to “Cambio” minus Marcus who concentrated on his surfing. The Eheads disbandment lead to form new bands – Sandwich, Pedicab, Mongols, Pupil Marcus Highway, and also the rebirth of The Dawn. But nothing can be compared with the “Heads.”

Why did they disbanded? In an interview I remember Buddy said “they have to move on, like any other bands. They need to grow.” A simple explanation was given by Raims “Ely quits... yun na yun.” And hearing them play again, was a rare opportunity for a person like me who grew up listening to their songs from the beginning until the end.

We arrived at the MOA concert grounds 30 mins before 8pm, and there were people who were there at 4 in the afternoon, just to watch for the very last time four of them playing together. I even saw a schoolmate from UST (in the news... Berns!) who just gave birth and came in a wheel chair, she said in the interview “huli ko na mapapanood sila, hindi ko ito palalagpasin.”

An AVP was shown before the first set, and the countdown began with the alphabet flashing on the big screen, from “Z” to “E”. And lights were lit and the we heard the first song, Magasin and I started shouting and singing at the top of my lungs. There was an adrenalin rush seeing them play again.

The 26 songs played by the band include (in chronological order) Magasin;raymund marasigan Walang Nagbago; Maling Akala; Maskara; Poorman’s Grave; Waiting for the Bus; Huwag Mo Nang Itanong; Slo Mo; Alkohol; Insomnya; Torpedo; Julie Tearjerky; Tikman; Wishing Well; Fine Time; Pare Ko; Kailan; Back 2 Me; Trip to Jerusalem; Spoliarium; Overdrive; SuperProxy; Minsan; Alapaap; Kaleidoscope World and Ang Huling El Bimbo.

In the big screen you can see the sad of eyes of Ely. Maybe just because FrancisM died, and he was supposed to be there. Before the SuperProxy, Ely shouted “Francis! Francis” and the crowd followed. “Para kay Francis!” For me, it was touching, seeing Francis Magalona being flashed on the screen while they sang the Chorus of “Kaleidoscope World.” Paying tribute to a man who loved music and inspired many to love their craft.

It rained confetti while “Ang Huling El Bimbo” was being played. Ely lit up a piece of paper and put on fire the Sticker Happy piano (this piano can be seen on the cover of their 5th album on 1997 entitled “Sticker Happy”) signifying that the “Final Set” is definitely the last time that their fans are going to see them in one stage together, playing their all-time hits. After taking their group bow (yes, not group hug) with sessionist and Itchyworm’s drummer Jazz Nicholas, all four members went backstage. But due to the overwhelming demand of the fans, Raymund, Buddy, Marcus and Ely went up on stage again and did an impromptu performance of Ligaya, Sembreak and Toyang. The performance was really not rehearsed that Ely even missed a few lyrics and still continued singing even after the music was thru. However, the audience doesn’t seem to mind, especially when Ely went down the stage to shake hands with fans, as if throwing his denim jacket, shoes and guitar picks weren’t enough.

Seeing them play again is such a bittersweet experience. I am happy to see them play together again, sad because I know that would be the last time that I will ever saw them play as the “Eraserheads.” When Ely lit up a piece of paper and poured some gasoline in the Sticker Happy piano signified the end of it all. And when Ely shouted “ito na ang Huling El Bimbo!” it was an expression that was the last. Hearing them brought back the memories of 1990's. It was the last time when Raimund Marasigan banged his drums, Buddy Zabala do the back up vocals and the bass, Marcus Adoro plucked the strings of his guitars and Ely sang their hits as Eraserheads.

Their memories will never be forgotten and their legacy (their songs) will forever play in the minds and hearts of my generation, for it has become the soundtrack of my life.