Bar Harbor boy performs onstage with Pearl Jam

You might have heard by now that Bar Harbor resident Noah Keeley (and his parents) got the thrill of a lifetime last week when the 10 year-old was invited up onstage to perform with world-famous rock band Pearl Jam in Quebec City.

The band had seen a video that his mother, Sarah Keeley had sent them of Noah playing their song ‘Sad’ on guitar with his dad, Shawn Keeley. The family went to see the band perform in Quebec City on May 5 and, after lead signer Eddie Vedder saw Noah at the front of the stage, he invited Noah onstage to play guitar with them.

“We went a little blank,” Noah’s mom told the Portland Press Herald. “The next thing you know, you’re watching your son get lifted over the rail and 20,000 people are calling his name. It was the most magical thing.”

After the band got a stool for Noah and a guitar for him to play, Vedder introduced him to the cheering crowd.

“I saw where Noah was playing this next song,” Vedder says into the mic. “It’s one I wrote and it took me a while to figure it out. I saw a clip of him playing it with his pop, and he played it much better than I ever did! Crazy!”

The band and Noah then launch into the song for three and a half minutes, with various members of the band periodically walking over to where Noah sits to play along with him.

Here’s how it went:

 

Pretty amazing, hunh?

That’s not the only video to be found online of Noah playing the song. Here is the one with his dad that got him the Quebec City gig:

 

And here is Pearl Jam’s studio version of the song:

 

For what it is worth, I think my favorite version is the live one recorded in Quebec City. I am sure there are others who feel the same way.

 

 

Bill Trotter

About Bill Trotter

A news reporter in coastal Maine for more than 20 years, Bill Trotter writes about how the Atlantic Ocean and the state's iconic coastline help to shape the lives of coastal Maine residents and visitors. He writes about fisheries, marine-related topics, eastern coastal Maine communities and more for the BDN. He lives in Ellsworth. Follow him on Twitter at @billtrotter.