The Eraserheads continue to dish out surprises less than a week before their much-anticipated reunion concert on December 22, 2022, at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City.
On Friday, December 16, it was confirmed that another music icon, Gary Valenciano, will join the band on stage as a special guest.
Incidentally, Gary's eldest son, Paolo Valenciano, is directing the concert titled Huling El Bimbo, which is said to be the Eraserheads' last big concert in the Philippines.
Concert organizers shared with the media, including PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), photos and videos of Gary exchanging pleasantries with the band at the rehearsal.
A GOOD SIGN
Gary's participation in the concert is welcome news following the veteran singer's intriguing post recently suggesting that he's dealing with health issues.
"Lord… I’m going to need your miraculous touch to get me through tonight and the next few nights to come. Help me not lose the sense and spirit of Christmas in the middle of all@these challenges. Kindly help in keeping me healthy at all times Lord. In Your name Jesus I pray. Amen," Gary wrote on Twitter on December 14.
Gary's tweet concerned fans and friends, who were all wondering what the cryptic post was all about.
It is public knowledge that Gary is diabetic. He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 14 years old.
Shortly after his tweet, Gary once again took to social media to assure the public that he was fine and "getting much better."
Gary wrote reassuringly, "Hi everyone. Looks like my last tweet caused many to panic. My apologies. Thanks for your genuine concern. I’m on my way to getting much better, friends. We all hit moments when our bodies just need to rest and I know that’s what I need. I love you all. Thanks again. I’m OK."
A MEMORABLE EVENING FOR FANS
Gary's presence in Huling El Bimbo adds another element of unpredictability to the Eraserheads reunion concert which was met with hype, excitement, and controversy.
The concert will feature a hologram of the late rapper Francis Magalona, fireworks, a drone show, and an 18-piece orchestra led by musical director Mel Villena.
The band will also be joined by friends Audry Dionisio of General Luna, Ciudad's Mikey Amistoso, and Jazz Nicolas from the Itchyworms, all serving as auxiliary musicians to reinforce the live sound.
All these will complement the quartet of Ely Buendia, Marcus Adoro, Buddy Zabala, and Raymund Marasigan as they play and revisit the songs that made Eraserheads one of the biggest bands in OPM history.
The Eraserheads released seven full-length studio albums and two EPs containing singles and b-sides during their eight-year reign in the mainstream.
A seven-track EP was released by the band's remaining three members in 2002 following frontman and chief songwriter Ely Buendia's surprising departure.
In 2014, the Eraserheads reunited to record two songs, "1995" and "Sabado", to coincide with the band's appearance on the cover of Esquire Philippines.
Tickets to the Eraserheads reunion concert, Huling El Bimbo, are still available at SM Tickets outlets and online.
It was previously reported that all tickets to the concert were sold out.
However, as the band's drummer Raymund Marasigan explained in his podcast show Offstage Hang, the venue expanded its allotted space and capacity for the event, prompting the organizers to release additional tickets to accommodate more fans.
Fans residing in the provinces and overseas can also watch the concert via pay-per-view on Cignal (P650), Smart LiveStream app (P650), and iWantTFC (USD 29.99).