21 bands can numb almost anyone. At least that's how it appeared to me at the end of the "Lively" Ely Buendia Benefit at Eastwood City last Sunday. As Rivermaya was revving up to strike its last power chord, I was ready to head off home to catch some shuteye for the working day ahead, when lo and behold, Rico Blanco announced that ex-Eraserhead Marcus Adoro was going to mount the stage.

Sure enough, peeking from the side of the stage was an almost mystical figure, weatherbeaten, with long hair and the makings of a beard-to-be, as well a jacket and a scarf. Like Gandalf. Only with a really good tan.

Marcus Adoro was in the house. Or on the stage, if you will. He had come down from La Union, as Pupil co-manager (and ex-eHeads manager) Day Cabuhat had writen a week ago, he was "on his way." And he arrived in time for a show, unannounced and not on the bill. But there he was, a straggler from the beach just in time to lend support to his former bandmate. And play a few tunes while he was at it.

Marcus came up on stage, solo at first. No, he didn't bring a guitar with him. But no matter - Rivermaya's Mike Elgar gamely handed him his black PRS guitar (see photo sequence). And away he went.

After a few odd jokes muttered at the mic, a chukka-chukka reggae rythym ensued. Sounds familiar? Halfway into the song, it finally dawned upon many in the weary crowd that it was actually an Eraserheads song. "Huwag Mo Nang Itanong Sa Akin."

He started off playing solo. Then a bass player came and sat down on the stage, providing decent accompaniment.

An odd percussionist came and sat down behind the drum kit, playing the kick drum and a shaker. When Marcus switched gears to do an original song ("galing sa next album ko," muttered the mystical one) with a more rock feel to it, the percussionist grabbed a plastic bottle of ice tea and tried to use it to play rimshots on the snare. The tech sitting next to the drums gave a him a "what the hell are you doing" look.

Just before the plastic bottle burst into a shower of tea from all the abuse, Mike Elgar came back on stage with a pair of drum sticks, asked the strange percussionist to move over, and sat down on the kit. Mike managed a fair approximation of drum playing, and suddenly Marcus' rock n' roll had a better backbeat.

Suddenly it was all over. Marcus' song reached its conclusion, and he had to hand Mike's black PRS over to a Rivermaya roadie.

"Meron pa bang gustong mag jam?" Marcus asked the audience.

An open jam? I was game! I think I had my stick bag in the car. But no one in the audience seemed to be. As they shuffled away and blended into the Seattle's Bests and Starbucks of Eastwood, I shuffled off with them, thoughts of the photos I had taken dancing in my head. And thoughts of the next day as well. Monday. Work. Arggh.

I looked behind, and there were Circus mailing listers milling about backstage, having their pictures taken with Gandalf. The tanned one.

Photos:

More Photos in the succeeding pages:

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