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| In what could be their last appearance at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Eraserheads gave UAAP fans a treat. Dennis Acosta |
QUEZON CITY—Filipino rock legend Ely Buendia bared something to the 7,429 people at the Smart Araneta Coliseum when he and the rest of the Eraserheads performed locally for the first time in two years.
“Did you know that it's our first time performing at Araneta?” the band's longtime frontman said.
Buendia may not be historically correct, but it had indeed been a while since the last time the quartet that has become a modern-day pillar of "Original Pilipino Music" got to play at the fabled indoor arena.
In their first appearance back at "The Big Dome" after 25 years, which could possibly be their last too, the "Heads" made sure it would be a memorable one.
The Eraserheads' mini-concert capped one of the most anticipated opening ceremonies the UAAP has seen in recent years on Saturday.
The group also consisting of current Sandwich main guy Raimund Marasigan, top bassist Buddy Zabala, and Marcus Adoro performed seven of its chart-topping songs, Alapaap, Sembreak, Ligaya, Pare Ko, Minsan, Magasin, and Ang Huling El Bimbo, during the final part of the opening rites.
The Eraserheads last had a Smart Araneta Coliseum gig when they performed on June 4, 1999 at halftime of Game 5 of the PBA All-Filipino Cup Finals between Tanduay and Shell.
Earlier in the day, Zabala's fellow Moonstar 88 members Maysh Baay and Bon Sundiang teamed up with Franco's Dave Delfin and Slapshock's Lean Ansing to form "Maroon 4", a wordplay from the American rock group Maroon 5 to signify their being alumni of UAAP Season 87 host University of the Philippines.
The Maroon 4 covered The Beatles' "Come Together", which was apt with this season's theme "Stronger, Better, Together".
Another UP alumnus, Johnoy Danao, performed during the opening ceremonies even as the UP Symphony Orchestra and Kontra Gapi teamed up to deliver a musical number that featured a special rendition of "UP Naming Mahal".
UP Diliman chancellor Carlo Vistan, the UAAP Season 87 president, formally declared the games open.
The Smart Araneta Coliseum is currently being prepared for the opening game of the men's basketball tournament between the Fighting Maroons and the Ateneo Blue Eagles scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off.
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