When 11-year-old Nebraska native Aidan Fisher took off with his dad to the Steel Panther hard rock concert in Kansas City last month, he was on a mission.
The sign he carried to the gig, directed to the band’s guitarist, said it all:
11 Year Old Guitarist Steals Show from Steel Panther in Viral Video
Image source: Yahoo News
But wouldn’t you know that when Fisher and his dad were on an elevator in their Kansas City hotel, the object of the sixth-grader’s challenge walked through the doors?
11 Year Old Guitarist Steals Show from Steel Panther in Viral Video
Fisher meets Satchel, Steel Panther guitarist, in Kansas City hotel. (Image source: WOWT-TV)
“We showed him our sign and asked for an autograph,” the Fisher told Yahoo Shine.
But Satchel had a better idea: “He said he could bring me on stage instead of getting an autograph.”
It was on.
Fisher and his dad waited four hours to nab seats in the front row at the Midland Theatre. And then during the concert, Fisher suddenly graduated from his spot in School of Rock in Millard, Neb. to center stage at a big-time rock ‘n’ roll show, WOWT-TV in Omaha reported.
Steel Panther called him up on stage.
The band asked Fisher if he was nervous. In front of thousands of fans, he said no — and with that launched into “Eruption,” the iconic electric guitar instrumental by legendary six-string master Eddie Van Halen.
Not more than a few seconds into the flurry of notes the Steel Panther guys were visibly impressed…
11 Year Old Guitarist Steals Show from Steel Panther in Viral Video
Image source: YouTube raw video
11 Year Old Guitarist Steals Show from Steel Panther in Viral Video
Image source: YouTube raw video
…as was the crowd, which often cheered louder than Fisher’s amplifier:
11 Year Old Guitarist Steals Show from Steel Panther in Viral Video
Image source: YouTube raw video
Check out the clip of Fisher’s big moment with Steel Panther, recorded by his dad — a video that’s gone viral with more than a 1.3 million YouTube views as of Jan. 8. It’s unclear if the band “vetted” Fisher’s skills before inviting him onstage or if it was all truly a surprise, but the moment is fun to watch all the same:
He wasn’t through. Once “Eruption” ended, Fisher continued on with the customary follow-up song, Van Halen’s cover of the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me.”
Since getting a taste of the bright lights and screaming fans, Fisher’s aspirations seem set.
“I felt like I wanted to be a rock star and this is what I want to do for life,” he told Yahoo Shine. “I want to start a Van Halen tribute band and make our own songs and albums and become really big.”
WOWT reported that Fisher’s dad, Chris, enjoys that his son has a passion for music and it’s better than an addiction to video games.
Fisher’s been playing the guitar since the age of eight, practicing daily and taking lessons. He also plays bass in his middle school band, Yahoo Shine noted. His fave bands? Van Halen, of course, but also Rush and Led Zeppelin.
WOWT reported that Fisher also will be featured on “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.”
(And in case you’re wondering what Steel Panther is all about, the group isn’t a tribute act, but it does pattern itself after glam-rock heavy-metal bands of the 1980s, not only musically but also with regard to stage dress, lyrics, and overall persona. A cursory look at the band’s website will tell you they’re pretty over the top and not given to what you might call a “wholesome” image.)
Here’s a report from WOWT:
This story has been updated.