RSSPost Event: The Eraserheads final set concert
Mar 08
Yesterday we went to the Eheads concert held at Mall of Asia concert grounds. Looking back I am torn between liking and hating the event based on various personal reason.
- The Positive
- The ticket was free. Technically my wife bought the silver tickets but I didn’t spend a single cent for them. 🙂
- The energy of a concert crowd, much more a very passionate one, cannot be matched by viewing a recorded video.
- It was nice to see the ‘heads back again. They already grew old but some of the antics that endeared them are still there.
- Most of the songs in the set were from the Circus and Cutterpillow albums which IMHO are the best albums they have ever released.
- The crowd was singing to every song so the fact that the band keeps on changing the lyrics of their songs adds a refreshing twist to the performances. Marcus’ reggae rendition of “Huwag mong itanong” was very entertaining.
- Since the venue was a reclaimed area, there was a slight breeze that occassionally blows into the crowd area, which alleviates the heat and humidity.
- The Negative
- The traffic going to MOA was horrible. The traffic when we went home was even worse. Typical of Manila traffic I can’t figure out the cause of such a traffic jam when every vehicle is driving along the same direction.
- The venue (specifically the silver and bronze sections) was literally filled to capacity. This triggered my utter dislike for places where there are too many people. It is not really agoraphobia but I really, really hate crowded spaces which is why I don’t go to sale events if I can help it.
- Some people are downright inconsiderate. Two notable examples are the people who smoke with disregard that not all people in the concert are smokers, and those ladies who sit on top of their boyfriend’s shoulders and effectively block the view of those behind them.
- The stage was too far from where we were that the people in the stage were like an inch tall. We viewed the concert mostly from the large screens placed strategically around the venue. The effect is like viewing everything from a large TV screen.
- Only the VIP section have seats (or so I thought until Paeng corrected it in the comments 🙂 ). Which effectively killed all the feeling I have on my legs and lower back. The lucky few were able to indian-sit but when I tried that my ankles hurt more.
- We forgot to buy drinks when we entered the venue and it was neigh impossible to move from our location during the set break. My thirst was already killing me that I found it very hard to enjoy the concert when it resumed.
- The event was too heavy with advertisements. Streamers and banners are one thing, viral multimedia on the wide screens and speakers are another. There is only so much repetition of ads can the audience take.
- As a whole, we spent 11 hours for a 2.5 hour concert.
- Personal Notables
- Organizers and sponsors should really think twice about feeding hosts to a bored mob that has been bombarded by the same set of advertisements for hours. MTV fielded 4 VJs (Anne Curtis, Kat, another female VJ that I don’t know and a guy) and the mob was killing them. Anne was relatively unscathe but the guy bore the brunt of it. I can’t even understand what the guy was reading off his advertisement clipboard due to the boo and hoots coming from the audience. A couple of hecklers on the silver area have even started a chant for him: “Wag kang iiyak” (“Don’t cry”). I almost pitied him but for the fact that my feet are already killing me from waiting 3 hours standing up for the concert to start.
- Ely Buendia is not the best vocalist when it comes to live perfomances but still an E’heads concert is an E’heads concert.
- The strain between Ely and Raimund is pretty obvious. Near the end, they had a misunderstanding that was pretty evident especially since there are screens that are devoted to tracking the movement of each band member. Buddy was evidently the mediator of the group.
- Never ever fight the mob. The woman who sat on her boyfriend’s shoulders learned that the hard way when she tried fighting the jeers of the people whose view she blocked. She made the mistake of rationalizing that she cannot see anything because of her height and she paid for her ticket. Those same reasons applies to the people she is blocking.
- I was disappointed that Marcus didn’t smash his Hello Kitty guitar. 🙂
All in all, I don’t think I will be going to another standing slot only concert any time soon. But I will always be an Eraserheads fan.
ciao!
Mar 09, 2009 @ 20:13:57
Corrections lang:
– There were no chairs in the VIP section. 🙂
– Strain between Ely and Markus? Saang parte? Sila nga yung pinakamagkalapit dun. Ang nagkaroon ng tensyon dati si Raimund at Ely. Yung part ba na sinasabi mo yung matagal silang nag-usap bago nag-Overdrive? kasi alam ko ang nililinaw dun e kung paano pepekein yung ending (kasi dun sila kunyari natapos di ba, tapos “encore” na yung Superproxy.
Mar 09, 2009 @ 22:42:48
Thanks for the correction. Corrected Raimund’s name in the strain observation. Different folks interpret it differently. Whatever the reason for the slight misunderstanding, there is something different ng tumugtog na sila ulit. Most apparent with Ely dahil ang tagal bago siya nakaharap ulit sa mga tao.
And from where we were seated, the VIP crowd looks comfortable sitting down. Too bad to hear na they spent 5k for squatting on the ground. Although mas kita nila ang Eheads.
🙂
ciao!
Mar 10, 2009 @ 16:27:00
Sa silver rin po kami! 🙂 Pero sa dami nga ng tao mahirap magkakitaan.
I agree with the negative points you mentioned. The concert grounds at the Fort is way better than in MOA. So parang di sulit yung binayaran namin. But in all, the band’s rapport and their interaction with the crowd for this concert is way better than the previous one, nilubos-lubos na nila. So it was memorable, but not the best concert experience for me. 🙂
Mar 10, 2009 @ 22:11:07
Thanks Joy. Actually your comment made me realize another plus points for the venue. Although jampacked siya, meron pa ring slight breeze coming from the bay kaya medyo nakakatulong sa sobrang init. Parang di ko maimagine na tumagal if ginawa ang concert sa the Fort tapos ganon karami ang tao at wala pang hangin. Instant Heatstroke FTW!
ciao!
Mar 11, 2009 @ 11:08:23
Hehe actually I was saying that Fort is better than MOA. 🙂 MOA concert grounds is narrower and flat. Sa Fort mas elevated yung grounds kaya mas kita yung stage. But yeah, it is a good thing that the breeze helps to fan out the heat.
Mar 11, 2009 @ 21:41:25
Yep, yun din understanding ko pero it reminded me that I was thinking that the slight breeze is something that might not be present in the Fort concert grounds given na puro building na sa paligid. 🙂
ciao!
Apr 02, 2009 @ 16:22:11
uhm. all i can say is that worth it yung pinambili ng ticket nun mga taong nanood ng eheads final set. me and my gf were at the front row of the gold a section near the first led screen. meron din kame reklamo like nakaharang yung bouncer na si CJ sa tapat namin, yung mga nagyo-yosi sa paligid but to sum it all up it’s not everyday that you’ll see the eraserheads in one stage playing their hits. so lets all move on, just cherish the moment that we saw the greatest band that the philippines has to offer.
Apr 02, 2009 @ 21:42:38
Hi Crizz,
Don’t get me wrong but I am an eheads fan through and through. I would pay for 5K for a ticket if it comes with some semblance of convenience for me to better enjoy the concert. This is my second eheads concert but on the first one I had a seat and I enjoyed it way, way more.
Pero everybody is entitled to their own opinions and I respect yours. 🙂
ciao!
May 30, 2009 @ 17:50:57
my observation :
maganda naman ang set nila, pati ang openning pati ung stage astig,pero bakit sa ibang kanta medyo nawawala
ung tunog ng mic., lalo nang kinanta ni raimund ung “slomo”
at tiyaka ung part nya sa “wishing wells”
and may kulang , hnde nila penerform ung
“para sa masa” but its ok’ baka kac maluha lng ako
he he he he !!!
at ang masaklap, bronze na nga lang kami
as in dulo pa…..
i think this is not the last time na mapapanood
at maririnig natin silang tumugtog
sana nga mangyari un ……
thankz……..
May 30, 2009 @ 22:50:29
i agree and hope that this wont be the last time. pero tulad ng sinabi ko, i am only going to watch them kung meron ng mauupuan to enjoy the feeling more. 🙂
ciao!