The Huling El Bimbo concert was so epic that even Francis M showed up.

That may as well be what everyone thought when they saw the Master Rapper himself onstage on 22 December 2022 at the SMDC Festival Grounds. Of course, it was only his holographic image that was present (and also perhaps his spirit). But as those few bars were spat, the audience might've already caught a glimpse of everything Ely Buendia, Raymund Marasigan, Marcus Adoro, Buddy Zabala, as well as the show organizers, wanted to convey. 

It was already pretty evident in 'Superproxy', the first song of the night. There was a deeper sense of nostalgia when Eon Buendia and Arkin Magalona wore similar shirts they had donned for the 'Superproxy 2K6' music video with their fathers. There was also a nod to the future of concert production through the incorporation of next-level tech in the show's visuals. As for something for the here and now? Well, the Eraserheads were on one stage once more, weren't they?

Many would say that the concert was monumental, and we agree. Overall, it was a damn good show. But the more we look back to its different moments, the more we realize that history was not just made that night. It was relived.

Honouring the Past

"It's been a long time. We've been to different places, seen different faces, but now it's time," Buendia announced to a cheering crowd before performing 'Back2Me', the second track in their third studio album, Cutterpillow. This was followed by the next track from the said album. And the next. And the next. And the next, complemented by show director Paolo Valenciano's decision to flash the animal illustrations from the back cover of the said album on the show's LEDs, ending with Buendia crooning to 'Fill Her'.

Could this tribute to their highest-selling album be the Easter egg in the setlist Marasigan divulged to Bandwagon a few months back? After all, 'Ang Huling El Bimbo' is the last track on this album, and it can't get any more obvious than that.

Well, the opening reel surely hinted at it by showing a lot of jellyfish footage. But that probably was its least impressive quality. Before the show started, concert attendees were treated to hits and hits of sentimentality with various clips that had serious IYKYK feels: shots of Oble (oblation), Kalay (Kalayaan Residence Hall), AS (Palma Hall), and other spots in UP Diliman, signposts of Tandang Sora and Maginhawa Village streets, as well as references to the band's songs, like the paru-paro (butterfly), an array of bogchi (snacks), a sari-sari store, a blue-gated house marked with the number 68, and more. 

Being in the Present

Interwoven in the same reel are snippets from band rehearsals, reminding us that the Eraserheads didn't just pick up their instruments and went for it. They prepared. A lot. A few months ago, Adoro said they had to focus. Zabala said they wanted to sound as best as they can. And so they practised—and left us a valuable lesson along the way: even icons in their craft need tuning up, need help to be the best. 

And so whatever we saw on that stage was a triumph not just for the four music artists, but for the other talents who helped shape the concert into what it is. We recall seeing mostly flashes and silhouettes of Jazz Nicolas (The Itchyworms), Audry Dionisio (General Luna), Mikey Amistoso (Ciudad), and the cast members of Ang Huling El Bimbo musical but we definitely heard their contribution in terms of sound. Not everyone went to the same university but the UP Pep Squad performing their routine underlined how important the band's roots are.

And The Diegos got it just right, bringing back blasts from the past: it was fun dancing to the Spice Girls and singing The Cardigans in between breaks. Thanks, Diego Mapa and Diego Castillo.

This reunion concert was also about trying new stuff for the band, as Buendia mentioned in a tweet. This is probably why they performed some of their "unheralded songs" with a twist: Arkin Magalona and Eon Buendia came back onstage for 'Saturn Return', and Gary Valenciano was quite literally pure energy in 'Christmas Party'. There were also performances that pointed to the past that still holds much significance now. By collaborating on 'Lightyears' and 'With A Smile' (with the AMP Orchestra injecting beautiful melodies on the flute), we see the importance of musical director and composer Mel Villena in the band's discography. By taking the vocals for 'Tama Ka', we see Zabala's love for his wife, Earnest.

At this point, we want to take a step back and acknowledge how WEU Event Management Services, Ant Savvy, DVent Productions, and Myriad took concert production and logistics to the next level. With many grasping at navigating live, big-scale events after the two-year lockdown, the team behind the concert made sure that everything looked beautiful and ran smoothly at a relatively new venue to boot. These efforts have translated to that feeling of attending a Christmas reunion: pretty chaotic and loud, but festive all the same.

And it's not just for optics: we had the privilege to go backstage and found that the food for the crew is catered, buffet-style—a far cry from the usual packed lunches and dinners. Hopefully, concert producers take a page from the Huling El Bimbo books in 2023 and the years to come.

Looking at the Future

The Eraserheads end their last reunion show in the Philippines with some of their classic hits. As they played 'Pare Ko' and 'Minsan', we can't help but think about where the band stands now. Marasigan had previously said that he and the three other members were too young back then, they forgot to take care of each other. Now that they're older, have hung out, and are going on a world tour, can they finally consider each other as friends?

We might never know the answer to this question, but we'll settle for the joy we saw that humid Thursday night—both onstage and in the crowd. As we sang to 'Alapaap', we feel the ultimate reunion of a band to their fans. As fireworks filled the night sky to the la la la-s of 'Ang Huling El Bimbo', we feel honoured for having been part of a Filipino music milestone. And as we danced to 'El Bimbo - Version 88' blasting in the speakers (it really is a dance, guys), we can't help but feel glad that this was the last concert we saw in 2022.