Pearl Jam Gives Fan with Terminal ALS a Side-Stage Seat to Rescheduled Berlin Concert
Pedro Becerra/Redferns/Getty
Pearl Jam gave one fan an unforgettable experience during a recent concert!
The fan in question — Roland Mandel — originally bought tickets in 2019 to see the Berlin, Germany date of the legendary American rock band's 2020 tour, which was canceled due to COVID-19. Amid the pandemic, however, Mandel was diagnosed with ALS and could no longer use his standard ticket for the eventually rescheduled show, which took place on June 21.
Only 12 seats in the 22,000-capacity Berlin Waldbühne had been set aside for handicapped audience members, all of which were sold out by the time Mandel was looking to reserve his ticket for the concert — but Mandel's family and friends did not give up on making one of Mandel's last wishes come true.
RELATED: Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam Musicians Release Debut Album as Supergroup 3rd Secret
Not only did they write a letter to the concert organizer and venue explaining his terminal illness and desire to see Pearl Jam before he dies, but they also started a social media campaign using the hashtag "#RVMforRoland" referring to Mandel's favorite Pearl Jam song, "Rearviewmirror."
Pedro Becerra/Redferns
With help from the venue and a lot of Twitter posts, Mandel was able to secure a side-stage seat at the Berlin concert.
RELATED: Pearl Jam Reschedules 2020 Tour Dates for 2022 as They Thank Fans for 'Patience & Flexibility'
To honor the devoted fan, Pearl Jam sang a special rendition of "I Believe in Miracles" by The Ramones before bringing Mandel up on the stage with the band.
"He should also experience this special night," Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder said to the crowd, according to a video posted by the Live on 4 Legs Podcast's Twitter account. "He worked his ass off to be here tonight. We love you Roland."
Danke, Berlin! 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/ki6YaS2cBX
— Pearl Jam 🇺🇦 (@PearlJam) June 21, 2022
Mandel isn't the only Pearl Jam fan to appear onstage with the band as of late. After learning that drummer Matt Cameron tested positive for COVID-19, a local 18-year-old drummer named Kai Neukermans volunteered to join the band at the Oakland Arena for a May concert.
"Everybody, this is Kai; Kai, this is everybody!" Vedder introduced the high school student to the crowd from the clip the band posted on YouTube.
Neukermans of Mill Valley already plays for his band The Alive, consisting of his 14-year-old brother, who plays bass, and their friend Bastian Evans, 17, who helms the group's guitar and vocals.
When Eddie introduced the teenage drummer to the crowd, he mentioned having seen The Alive perform, telling the audience he was impressed by "how hard they can play."
"You're leading the band, brother," Eddie said while handing off the responsibility to Neukermans in the video.
Neukermans later wowed the crowd with an explosive rendition of "Mind Your Manners" from the group's 2013 Lightning Bolt album.
