Vancouver, BC
LIVE is the most beautiful thing ever!
Mildred German
The four members of the Eraserheads – Marcus Adoro (lead guitars), Ely Buendia (lead vocals, guitar), Raymund Marasigan (drums), and Buddy Zabala (bass)– graced Canada and the USA as part of their ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ tour.
On June 3, 2023, the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) Forum in Vancouver, BC was packed with spectators who gathered to see the famed Philippine band. They are one of the Philippine music groups whose concerts were highly anticipated since they reportedly disbanded in 2002. ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ was the Eraserheads’ full concert tour, the first time since 2009.
Marking 13 years in the making, the tour kicked off in Parañaque City’s SMDC Festival Grounds on December 22, 2022 to a crowd of 75,000 spectators. The US-Canada ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ tour kicked off in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on May 19, 2023. Los Angeles and San Francisco also welcomed the band. Then, the Eraserheads headed to Vancouver, BC, their first stop in Canada. Winnipeg (Manitoba), Edmonton (Alberta), and Hamilton (Ontario), were also part of their Canada tour stops. Then, they went back to the USA to wrap up the tour at the Hulu Theatre Madison Square Garden, in New York City, NY, USA on June 17, 2023.
HISTORY OF A BAND
Eraserheads was formed in 1989 at the University of the Philippines when schoolmates Adoro, Buendia, Marasigan, and Zabala met and formed the group, calling themselves ‘the Eraserheads’. The band’s name was inspired by the film entitled ‘Eraserhead’ by director David Lynch. In their early beginnings, the Eraserheads played covers on campus and at other universities, but gained no success. Thus, they ventured into writing their own songs. Eventually, one of their early songs, “Pare Ko”, became cult popular. In 1991, the band recorded a demo tape in the garage of Marasigan’s provincial home in Candelaria, Quezon. Then they sent the demo to radio stations, record labels, and clubs to reach the public. However, the band was rejected each time.
Yet, despite the rejections, the band’s humble journey continued. According to Wikipedia, in May 1991, Robin Rivera, a professor-friend teaching Humanities, helped the band re-record better versions of the demo songs. Thus, the album Pop-U! was produced. Pop-U! is the band’s cheeky response to those who criticized that they are not “pop” enough, and to those who eventually turned them down. The Eraserheads’ ‘big shot’ was in 1992, when BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc. (now Sony BMG Music Entertainment) signed the band for a contract three-year deal, resulting in the band releasing singles, albums, and EPs, which became hits and radio favourite in the 1990s and early 2000s. Their 1995 album Cutterpillow achieved commercial success and platinum status several times. This album includes hit songs such as Superproxy, Overdrive, Torpedo, Huwag Mo Nang Itanong, and Ang Huling El Bimbo (the same title of their recent tour).
Eraserheads has become one of the most influential and most successful bands in Philippine music history. They won many awards, including the Viewer’s Choice Award at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards.
LIVE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING EVER!
Eraserheads was one of the Filipino bands I enjoy listening to. Their songs bring back so many fond memories. Having spent most of my life in Canada, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw my favourite band, the Eraserheads, on stage. It was a dream come true to see them live in concert. The line-up was long by the entrance. And security was tight. However, inside the venue, there were some refreshments and Filipino food available for purchase. There was a photobooth as well. Many in the crowd wore novelty white sunglasses given at the entrance. They were handy for the colorful backdrops and digital visuals presented on stage. In particular, there was a digital countdown to start off the show. Screams could be heard as the crowd’s excitement grew in anticipation of the band’s first entrance. Cell phones shone bright as fans recorded every performance; some fans brought with them their cameras and other recording gadgets. It was a concert we were all waiting for. It was a delight to see our kababayans dancing and singing along to their songs.
PARA SA MASA: A VOICE FOR THE FILIPINO PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES AND STRUGGLES
The Eraserheads is highly regarded as the Philippines’ Beatles. Yet, not only are the Eraserheads talented and famous, their songs became a voice to the many experiences and struggles of the Filipino people. Particularly, their song ‘Tindahan Ni Aling Nena’ was a crowd favourite in their Vancouver concert. With its lyrics, “Habang maaga’y huwag na raw akong umasa. Anak niya’y aalis na papuntang Canada” (in English, it translates to “Put your hopes down. Her daughter is going to Canada). Not only does the lyrics mention “Canada”, it also highlights the reality of migration of millions of Filipinos to foreign lands and how migration impacts long distance relationships and the chances for finding true love. With pure nostalgia, their hit songs Para Sa Masa, Pare Ko, Maling Akala, With A Smile, Overdrive, Minsan, and more were showcased.
Particularly, one of my favourite songs by the Eraserheads is ‘Harana’. (Harana, traditionally, is a serenade practice common in many Filipino courtships). As practicing ‘harana’ is a fading Philippine tradition in the modern times, the band’s ‘Harana’ song echoes a very beautiful, and tender love song,
SPOLIARIUM, ALAPAAP, AND THE CONTROVERSIES
The Eraserheads performed in their Ang Huling El Bimbo tour concert the controversial song, ‘Spoliarium’. The live performance coincided with the recent news of TAPE Inc. and Eat Bulaga’s hosts, Tito, Vic, and Joey (also known as TVJ) dispute. Spoliarium is famous as an allusion to the controversial 1980s Pepsi Paloma Case. Its lyrics mention “Enteng and Joey” (Enteng is the stage name of Vic Sotto, and Joey is his co-star) and had sparked an uneducated guess and conspiracy theory on the long running urban myth surrounding the tragic death of Delia Duenas Smith (also known as Pepsi Paloma). Pepsi Paloma was a teenage Filipino-American star, dancer, actress, and commercial model who accused comedians Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon, and Richie D’Horsie Reyes of rape. The rape case was a highly publicized scandal. Reportedly, had the suspects been convicted of the charges, they would have faced the maximum sentence, the death penalty— execution by electric chair. Actor, future politician, and Vic’s Sotto’s old brother, Tito Sotto (whose real name is Vicente Castelo Sotto III), soon became involved. Reportedly, he compelled Paloma to drop the charges by allegedly intimidating her with a gun. Later, the suspects issued an “on-their knees”public apology on live TV (according to the February 28, 2019 article by Esquire, “Where Are They Now: Pepsi Paloma and the Other Softdrink Beauties of the ‘80s”, and in an article published by the People’s Journal on October 13, 1982), stating, “We hope that you will not allow the error we have committed against you to stand as a stumbling block to that future which we all look forward to. We, therefore, ask you to find it in your heart to pardon us for the wrong which we have done against you.” Despite this statement, Paloma’s complaints and case did not go to court. Tragically, on May 31, 1985, Paloma was reportedly found in her apartment dead in an apparent suicide by hanging. According to police investigation, the controversial rape case was a factor to her suicide. Meanwhile, as years went by, Eat Bulaga! became one of the longest-running tv shows in the Philippines, with TVJ (Tito, Vic, and Joey) as some of the main characters of the show, making them one of the most influential groups in Philippine showbiz. The elder Sotto became involved in politics, being elected as a Quezon City Vice Mayor (1988-1992), as a Senator of the Philippines (1992-2004 and 2010-2022), as Senate Minority Leader (2002-2004 and 2014-2015), as Senate Majority Leader (2010-2013 and 2016-2018), as President of the Senate of the Philippines (2018-2022), and as a Vice-Presidential candidate in 2022.
Tito Sotto has maintained his position against any involvement in the rape and in the whitewashing of the rape charges, and has denied using his political influence in the court decision. Notably, in 2018, Tito Sotto reportedly had requested The Philippine Inquirer the removal of published articles available online mentioning the Pepsi Paloma Case, citing they are damaging to his current reputation as a political figure. With the Eraserheads song, Spoliarium, sparking conversations on the Paloma Case, however, in a March 11, 2021 report by NME.com and on the latest episode of the Wake Up with Jim & Saab podcast, Eraserheads’ Buendia reportedly mentioned that the song Spoliarium is “all about getting piss-drunk”. https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/ely-buendia-dispels-urban-myth-about-eraserheads-song-spoliarium-the-actual-meaning-is-really-mundane-2898082
Yet, Spoliarium is not the Eraserheads’ first song that gained controversy. Apparently, Tito Sotto (who also became Chair of the Dangerous Drugs Board in 2008-2009), tried to ban the Eraserheads in the past, citing concerns by a pro-youth group on the band’s influence on the ‘gullible’ Filipino children, youth, and fans. Sotto reportedly swooped in on the Eraserheads and called for their ban after one of the band’s songs, ‘Alapaap’, was misinterpreted as a song on ‘meth high’ and ‘drug use’. https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/supreme/2012/08/25/841706/how-tito-sotto-tried-ban-eraserheads. In response, Eraserheads released a statement on August 24, 1995 in regards to the ‘Alapaap’ controversy in hopes that the misinterpretation of the song be cleared up.
The calls for banning the Eraserheads had since been dismissed. ‘Alapaap’ was remastered when its mother album, the 1994 ‘Circus’ was remastered for its 25th year anniversary. ‘Alapaap’ was also included in the band’s live album ‘Eraserheads: The Reunion Concert 08.30.08’, wherein the song was the band’s opening act. ‘Alapaap’, too, was well-received by the audience during their recent ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’ tour. Overall, the Eraserheads is a living proof that despite controversies, and criticisms, their music not only captured the Filipino people’s earbuds, but also influenced the nation with the power of storytelling, art, and freedom of expression.