Pearl Jam enlisted the help of a young fan to play the drums at its concert in Oakland on Friday night (May 13), after the band’s drummer, Matt Cameron, fell ill withCOVID-19.
Kai Neukermans, 18, will remember the Peal Jam concert for the rest of his life…
The young man had volunteered to help his favorite band when he heard the news. Pearl Jam called on his services for one song.
“Everybody, this is Kai; Kai, this is everybody,” singer Eddie Vedder said by way of introduction. “You’re leading the band, brother,” the rock legend continued.
To get noticed by the four-time Grammy-winning band, KaiNeukermans sent a text message toEddie Vedder’s daughter, Olivia Vedder, whom he had previously met in 2018.
“It was a last-minute thing, and I didn’t think it was going to work,” the main man explained to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The members of Pearl Jam asked the young man for a video of him playing the drums on one of their songs, which he did. However, the young drummer had to skip school to do so. He sent a video of Mind Your Mannersfrom the band’s 2013 album Lightning Bolt (2013) of the band.
An hour later, the band’s tour manager asked him to come to the stadium for a quick tryout.
Although the band had already asked Oakland drummer Richard Stuverud to fill in for Cameron, they agreed to let KaiNeukermans fulfill his dream for a song.
“My heart started racing when everyone started screaming,” he added.