Jan. 19, 2019 — still my birthday.
I had just seen an Instagram post about the UltraCombo gig that morning. Since it was my birthday and I had no plans for the evening, I decided to celebrate by going to Eton Centris to see three of the four Heads live.
I’ve never seen the Eraserheads together, so this was the closest thing to the real deal. I’ve been to Ely Buendia’s solo concerts, but even though he was their lead vocalist, it’s still not the Heads. Well, UltraCombo isn't the Eraserheads either, but there is still something unique about the chemistry between the three of them that makes you just want to watch and listen to them play.
It brought me so much joy seeing Buddy look over at Rayms, or watching Buddy smile whenever Marcus messed up the lyrics. I love watching Rayms on the drums—it must be so hard to sing while drumming, but every time he hits the cymbals, he gives it his all. And Marcus... well, Marcus is Marcus. He isn't the best vocalist in town, but damn, those guitar riffs!
The concert was pure nostalgia. I realized I knew the lyrics to every single song they performed—yep, even the rap part of "Superproxy." That’s how big of an Eheads fan I am.
They kicked off the set with "Overdrive." From the very first note, I got goosebumps. The whole event felt like a massive karaoke session with three of the Heads playing their biggest hits. Raymund Marasigan and Marcus Adoro alternated on lead vocals, while Buddy Zabala provided backing vocals. Their setlist was packed with sing-along classics like "Sembreak," "Minsan," "Pare Ko," "Ligaya," and "Magasin." Most of the tracks were upbeat, keeping the crowd jumping and dancing along.
Sure, there were a few mistakes—missed cues and forgotten lyrics—but that’s completely forgivable because, well, they are legends. Besides, the slip-ups were hilarious, like when Marcus forgot the words to "Harana" or sang, “Ilang tansan pa ba ang kakain oh giliw ko? Ilang isaw pa ba ang iipunin oh giliw ko?”
I couldn’t help but jump, raise my hands, and sing along. At one point, Rayms shouted, “Put your fucking cellphones down. Walang ganyan nung '90s!” I had recorded a few snippets earlier, but I put my phone away because I just wanted to feel Rayms' drums, Buddy's bass, and Marcus' guitar riffs. When they played "Ang Huling El Bimbo," I closed my eyes, sang my heart out, raised my hands, and thought: Damn, it’s my birthday. I’m glad to be alive, and I’m so glad I decided to come to this gig.
It was a night to remember—definitely in my top 5 best gigs ever. The crowd energy was amazing, too. I still hold out hope for a full reunion concert someday. It’s every '90s kid’s dream. I was just a baby when they were originally together, but this mini-reunion was more than enough for me. I hope they keep making music, even if it’s not under the name Eraserheads—because damn, they are legendary. One in a million. UltraCombo.
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