By Erika Tapalla
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Eraserheads Reunion Concert was cut short Saturday night when lead singer Ely Buendia was rushed to the Makati Medical Center after collapsing backstage during a 20-minute intermission of the planned 30-song concert.
The concert’s sudden end was announced by Buendia’s sister Lally who went onstage with Ely’s band mates Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala, Marcus Adoro and concert organizers stating that the band’s lead vocalist and songwriter was in poor health. The band members apologized to the audience for cutting short their performance.
MTV Philippines President Francis Lumen asked the crowd for a minute of silence to pray for Buendia’s health.
“He had a slight attack because of stress due to the recent passing of his mother (Lisette Buendia), and their sound check which lasted till 3 a.m. today (Saturday),” said MTV Philippines and Radiohead director for marketing Ronald Esguerra in an interview with INQUIRER.net. “But we have received word that Ely is now in stable condition.”
Organizers also belied erroneous reports that Buendia is undergoing triple bypass surgery, adding that the Eraserheads frontman actually wants to check out of the Makati Medical Center and go instead to his personal doctor.
Esguerra confirmed reports that Buendia was transferred to the Philippine Heart Center last night after he requested to see his doctor. “But he is okay and in stable condition,” Esguerra told INQUIRER.net in a telephone interview.
According to Jing Garcia, former music journalist and currently technology editor at Manila Times and a friend of the Eraserheads members, Buendia collapsed backstage after the last song before the intermission, which was “Lightyears.” The band had already played 15 songs by then.
Buendia suffered a heart attack on January 7, 2007 and had already undergone surgery.
The concert, which was staged at the Fort Bonifacio Global City open field in Taguig, started at around 8:15 p.m. and paused for a break at around 9:30 p.m.
The Eraserheads opened their much-awaited reunion concert with “Alapaap” and “Ligaya,” complete with fireworks display.
After waiting at the open field for an hour since the intermission hoping for further developments, loyal fans of the band calmly left the concert area after being treated to a thrilling first set.
MTV Philippines’ Esguerra said that while he is hoping for a second Eraserheads reunion concert, there is still no word on whether another one would be staged.
“We have received no word of a Part Two but we also hope there will be one,” he said.
With a report from Pocholo Concepcion, Philippine Daily Inquirer
August 31st, 2008 at 12:46 am
Good to hear that Ely is now okay. By the way, the last song was “Lightyears” and not “Fruitcake.”
August 31st, 2008 at 12:18 am
sayang talaga it was cut short, i was there with my sister kanina and we were at the VIP area. Nakita nmin na bigla umupo si Ely after the last song and bowed his head. And then they went on a supposed to be a 20-min break lang. The audience understood naman when his sister apologized to the audience. It was a good concert kahit di natapos, sobrang nasabik ang fans sa Eraserheads.
August 31st, 2008 at 12:18 am
sayang talga pro la na talaga magagawa e.lets just pray for ely and lets pray for another reunion concert.lol.
GET WELL SOON ELY!
August 31st, 2008 at 12:15 am
[...] Before the second set began, Ely Buendia was rushed to the hospital. I had left the venue with Phoebe minutes before this happened because we were both suffering from a relapse of a cough and colds epidemic that’s been going on for days. Today, Saturday, was particularly humid. Hope he’s OK. [...]
August 31st, 2008 at 12:12 am
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