Eraserheads please thousands at Dubai

5 April 2013 at 9:18 am

One of the Philippines biggest and best known rock bands, Eraserheads, played to a packed Dubai Media City amphitheatre on Thursday, April 4, much to the delight of what seemed to be most of the UAE’s Filipino population.

The gig was part of a reunion tour after their sensational split in 2002 when lead vocalist and rythm guitarist Ely Buendia (pictured) quit for reasons unknown. On Thursday it seemed the band were getting along well and the audience were definitely happy to see them. “Filipinos are proud people, we love our nation and anything good that comes out of it like this,” said Rolling Stone photographer Mike Malate.

Throughout my life I have been to countless concerts – most of them – no all – were in English. This one I assumed would be no different. Turned out the guys spoke for most of the concert in Tagalog, which is entirely reasonable, it’s their country’s first language, just happens I don’t and so didn’t understand much of what was said or sung. But the sound and the atmosphere alone were enthralling.

At one point during the concert Buendia resorted to that age old crowd pleaser when during a song he yelled ‘Dubai’. Of course the crowd cheered and screamed, that’s to be expected. In fact the crowd cheered and screamed throughout – which begged the question why these guys, who were clearly having a good time, split up in the first place. Lead guitarist Marcus Adoro (pictured) recently told UAE daily newspaper Gulf News: “I think that was a healthy thing to do back then.”

For an encore Buendia and Adoro, who had changed their outfits, came out onto an extension of the stage that took them into the audience. It was something ruined only by a photographer and cameraman who followed them on the stage, blocking people’s view.

Whether Eraserheads become one of the bands that spends the rest of their career performing comeback concerts remains to be seen. The energy they put out on Thursday suggests they have a few years in them yet. Before I attended the concert I had asked Filipino people I know about Eraserhead, each time they told me “this is our biggest and best band – on Thursday I saw why.

The set was a versatile mix of ballards, pop and rock, which left this photojournalist asking the same question over and over – what genre were these guys. But the truth is, people enjoy them, they gel well on stage, even now 11 years after the initial split. So why pigeonhole them at all?

After a performance of about two-and-a-half hours the guys took a final bow, the crowd cheered some more and then left. In their minds the sounds of tracks like Pare Ko and Fruitcake were no doubt buzzing around in their heads, possibly even Huling El Bimbo. It’s not the first time Marcus Adoro (lead guitarist, back-up vocalist) , Sancho Robles (rythm guita), Ely Buendia (lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist) Raimund Marasigan (drummer, back-up vocalist) and Buddy Zabala (bassist, back-up vocalist) have played Dubai, I sincerely hope it won’t be the last.

Goodbye Eraserheads - you gave a good show and leave me enlightened, at least a little bit .

One of the Philippines biggest and best known rock bands, Eraserheads, played to a packed Dubai Media City amphitheatre on Thursday, April 4, much to the delight of what seemed to be most of the UAE’s Filipino population.

One of the Philippines biggest and best known rock bands, Eraserheads, played to a packed Dubai Media City amphitheatre on Thursday, April 4, much to the delight of what seemed to be most of the UAE’s Filipino population.

Peter Harrison

The Philippines’ biggest and best known rock band of the 1990s, Eraserheads, play Dubai’s Media City amphitheatre on their reunion tour.

OK! Magazine
King Charles' '4-word response' to Harry's request to meet during UK visit
Prince Harry has reportedly extended an olive branch to King Charles and asked if the pair can meet during his upcoming visit to the UK and he received a 'four-word response'
Yorkshire Live
Have a go hero dishes out life lesson after 'old man attacked in Keighley'
CCTV footage of old man 'being attacked in Yorkshire' goes viral online as have a go hero steps in
Birmingham Live
BBC Gardeners' World star Carol Klein announces shock health diagnosis and major surgery
The popular TV presenter has been presenting permanently on the show since 2005
Snopes
King Charles III's Funeral Plans Reportedly Updated, as He's 'Very Unwell.' Here's What We Found
Numerous rumors about the British monarch spread following his cancer diagnosis on Feb. 5, 2024.
Liverpool Echo
BBC Bargain Hunt expert brutally shut down after 'awful' admission
The buyers stepped in after the suggested from Phillip Serrell
Liverpool Echo
Melanie Sykes 'quit TV' after comment from MasterChef's Gregg Wallace
After decades on our screens, Melanie has vowed never to return to TV
Birmingham Live
ITV Coronation Street actress speaks out on husband's 'break-up' with co-star
Sally Carman-Duttine plays Abi Webster on the popular soap
Bristol Live
'Sad' Tesco shopper 'clears' supermarket shelves to make £1,000 profit
Sam, who has raked up an impressive 95,000 followers on TikTok, is one of many young Brits trying to make quick cash by reselling
Wales Online
Queuing Greggs customer cannot believe his eyes at man in shop's actions
'A man weaved through the line in front of me, heading to the sandwich section, and I thought nothing of this at first'
Liverpool Echo
Taxi spotted dropping off strangers 'at all hours of the day and night'
Taxi spotted dropping off strangers 'at all hours of the day and night'
Liverpool Echo
Urgent warning to gardeners over jail time and 'unlimited fine'
Gardeners could be slapped with a hefty fine or worse
OK! Magazine
Britain's Got Talent audience member exposes part of the show that's 'faked for viewers at home'
A member of the Britain’s Got Talent audience has commented on the long-running rumours that a part of the hit entertainment show is faked each week for TV viewers
Bristol Live
New rule leaves National Lottery winner who won £10,000 with nothing
Jennifer Gothard won £10,000 on a £3 "triple cashword" scratchcard in March - but is still waiting for her winnings due to a new rule introduced by operator Allwynn
The Northern Echo
I compared supermarket butters to Lurpak to see if it could be beaten - it was
I tested supermarket butter from Asda, Tesco, Aldi, and M&S against Lurpak and another branded butter to find out which was best.
The Telegraph
Porsche driver ‘killed trying to swerve pothole’
A 74-year-old Porsche driver has died after swerving to avoid a pothole, police believe.
Business Insider
Ukraine highlights Russia's 'line of hell.' Claim of dozens of tanks and military vehicles destroyed on one sector of the Donetsk front.
Fighting has intensified in the Donetsk region in recent months as Russia pushes to take more ground around Avdiivka.
OK! Magazine
King Charles 'must sit down' with Meghan and Harry and say 'I'm sorry' in difficult conversation says Piers
TV presenter Piers Morgan has claimed King Charles should sit down with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to discuss the pair's use of their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles
OK! Magazine
Benidorm's Solana barman Mateo actor Jake Canuso looks very different 6yrs on from ITV show
Benidorm actor Jake Canuso, who portrayed bartender Mateo Castellanos in the ITV show, looks worlds away from his former role, six years after the ITV show finished
Yorkshire Live
Kate McCann's life now from heartbreaking Madeleine traditions to new job
It's been 17 years since Madeleine McCann vanished during a family holiday in Portugal - and mum Kate McCann has never given up hope
The Telegraph
Beauty queen shot dead after octopus ceviche order led killers to restaurant
An Ecuadorian beauty queen was assassinated after her Instagram post of a plate of octopus ceviche led gunmen to the restaurant where she was dining.

Major losses pile pressure on the prime minister

Eraserheads please thousands at Dubai

One of the Philippines biggest and best known rock bands, Eraserheads, played to a packed Dubai Media City amphitheatre on Thursday, April 4, much to the delight of what seemed to be most of the UAE’s Filipino population.

Latest stories

King Charles' '4-word response' to Harry's request to meet during UK visit

Have a go hero dishes out life lesson after 'old man attacked in Keighley'

BBC Gardeners' World star Carol Klein announces shock health diagnosis and major surgery

King Charles III's Funeral Plans Reportedly Updated, as He's 'Very Unwell.' Here's What We Found

BBC Bargain Hunt expert brutally shut down after 'awful' admission

Melanie Sykes 'quit TV' after comment from MasterChef's Gregg Wallace

ITV Coronation Street actress speaks out on husband's 'break-up' with co-star

'Sad' Tesco shopper 'clears' supermarket shelves to make £1,000 profit

Queuing Greggs customer cannot believe his eyes at man in shop's actions

Taxi spotted dropping off strangers 'at all hours of the day and night'

Urgent warning to gardeners over jail time and 'unlimited fine'

Britain's Got Talent audience member exposes part of the show that's 'faked for viewers at home'

New rule leaves National Lottery winner who won £10,000 with nothing

I compared supermarket butters to Lurpak to see if it could be beaten - it was

Porsche driver ‘killed trying to swerve pothole’

Ukraine highlights Russia's 'line of hell.' Claim of dozens of tanks and military vehicles destroyed on one sector of the Donetsk front.

King Charles 'must sit down' with Meghan and Harry and say 'I'm sorry' in difficult conversation says Piers

Benidorm's Solana barman Mateo actor Jake Canuso looks very different 6yrs on from ITV show

Kate McCann's life now from heartbreaking Madeleine traditions to new job

Beauty queen shot dead after octopus ceviche order led killers to restaurant