Marin Teen Performs With Pearl Jam

OAKLAND, CA — An unheralded Marin teen is now experiencing Grunge Heaven.

Kai Neukermans is making news across the globe after performing with Pearl Jam Friday at Oakland Arena. He was recruited by the superband as an eleventh-hour replacement for drummer Matt Cameron, who tested for COVID.

The performance has made headlines at CNN, The Daily Mail and The San Francisco Chronicle, among other publications.

Neukermans plays in the band Alive that includes his 14-year-old brother Manoa Neukermans, who plays bass, and Bastian Evans, 17, of Laguna Beach, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Kai Neukermans and his band have performed at other major venues including BottleRock Napa Valley and Lollapalooza Chile, according to the report.

“It was a last-minute thing,” Neukermans told The Chronicle.”

“I didn’t think it was going to work out.”

It worked out just fine for the Tamalpais High School senior, who Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder introduced to a crowd at the 20,000-seat Oakland Arena with gusto.

Vedder mentioned seeing Alive perform during his introduction of Neukermans.

“They just blew my mind,” Vedder said, noting a Metallica cover

“He hasn’t graduated from high school yet, I think this is the year … please welcome to the stage, Mill Valley’s own, Kai Neukermans!”

Neukermans is seen in the video calmly walking on stage, and the crowd erupts when the Mill Valley teen exchanges an elbow bump with the rock megastar.

“You’re leading the band, brother,” Vedder then says as Neukermans launched the set with a rendition of “Mild Your Manners,” from Pearl Jam’s 2013 “Lightning Bolt” album.

Neukermans had to skip a statistics test to ready for the show, The Chronicle reports.

“‼️Next level!” Neukermans wrote on his Instagram page of the experience.

“ 🤯 Thx for havin’ me play #mindyourmanners ⚡️🥁⚡️Honored to share the stage w/u guys 🤙🏾”