Back in 1998, Pinoy alt-rock trend-setter Eraserheads came out with the compilation album Aloha Milkyway, which is technically not a greatest hits collection. It contains new songs, some of their biggest hits, and a number of underrated gems.
Two decades later, quite a similar concept is arguably employed for the repertoire of a stage musical anchored on the band’s recordings. Just like that compilation released to tap the neighboring Asian market, Ang Huling El Bimbo the musical tries to present the group’s legacy in a wholistic picture, picking key lines and melodies from both familiar and obscure tracks, which from the standpoint of a purist fan gives extra depth to the tale of friendship and melancholy.
It would have been plain safe to pick some real hits and let the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra play them live for audiences. Yet the fact several non-singles are picked to pull the narrative together makes the production a lot more exciting to the ear. Hearing “Paru-Parong Ningning,” a filler from the loaded “Cutterpillow,” serving as backdrop to a beerhouse atmosphere is an example of the rightest song being used in the plot, regardless of its standing in the Eraserheads discography.
Music publisher Merwin Tee, who has thoroughly dealt with the band’s catalogue, related , “For some reason, their songs seemed to perfectly fit events in our lives.”
True enough, many get to relate to subjects sung about in Eheads songs, like “Minsan” picturing carefree camaraderie, “Alkohol” describing altered state of a drunk, and “Waiting For The Bus” being a tell-tale of a regular travelling man going indie from parental hold. These are topics resonating back in the day and still-relevant to the current generation. It is a track record that has stood the test of time.
The production’s director and choreographer Dexter Santos elaborated in poetic tone, “From the very first time we fell in love to the very first time we had our hearts broken; from crazy drunk nights with our barkada to sober emo conversations with our best friend … Ely, Buddy, Raimund, and Marcus created theme songs for special moments in our lives.”
Eraserheads released practically just seven full-length albums during their recording years, relatively few cultural impact they unleashed and proving they had a streak unmatched in Pinoy rock history.
Ang Huling El Bimbo, with musical direction by Myke Salomon and script by Dingdong Novenario, stars, among others, top thespians Jon Santos, Gian Magdangal, OJ Mariano, Tanya Manalang, and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo. It unfolds in two timelines, just like the Eraserheads music which became popular in the 90s and then beyond.
Resorts World Manila CEO Kingson Sian pointed out, “The people involved in this production bring to life a story that matches the simple brilliance of the songs used.”
This musical from Full House Theater Company runs at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in RWM until Sept. 2, with shows every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.