Petition Wants Keytar Bear to Play Fenway Park or Gillette Stadium
This post originally appeared on Vanyaland.
Photo via @HarvardDangerfield on Instagram
Last week Boston’s favorite mascot Keytar Bear was spotted in the wilds of Fenway, busting out the synth jams on Brookline Avenue just before the start of the Red Sox home opener. Now, a petition has been launched to get the furry busker inside Fenway Park — and on stage when Pearl Jam plays the baseball stadium on August 5 or 7. If that doesn’t work out, another gig has been proposed for Keytar Bear, and that’s when Guns N’ Roses play Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on July 19.
The Change.org petition was created by someone under the name Juan Holliday, doing business straight out of Swampscott. And he doesn’t simply want Keytar Bear to open either show, the petitioner wants the Bear to jam out with the headliner.
“Keytar Bear has brightened our day whether it’s returning to the train to head home from work or catching him wailing outside a game we find him there for us,” Holliday writes. “He has been mugged and beaten yet he gets up every day and puts on one paw at a time just like us (paw or pant leg whatever). He has been hit literally and repeatedly and he gets up and grabs his Keytar for us day after day and wails. I for one thank him for it, and I would like to show my appreciation.”
Holliday admits he hasn’t even approached Keytar Bear about this crazy plan, but wants to show appreciation for a street performer whose increased publicity made him a target for random street attacks.
“Now, I don’t know if Keytar Bear would want to do this,” Holliday adds. “I don’t know if he’d prefer a Lillywhite session with the Country Bear Jamboree. I just don’t know, but what I do know is when icons arrive this summer our own icon of resiliency, determination, and strength should be there by their side. That is why I am calling on all Keytar Bear supporters to join me in getting an onstage invite for Keytar Bear for one song with Guns n Roses and Pearl Jam. He’s earned our support and for at least one night and one song we can all show our appreciation. Following one of the attacks Keytar Bear said: “To the people of Boston, I say this: I love you guys. I know what happened wasn’t right, and I don’t care about going broke for the next few weeks. I’d be wrong to give up on you.” He’s never given up on us, and in a small way maybe if this happens it is a way to say thank you.”
While this proposal seems to be a longshot (though maybe there’s a chance Pearl Jam see the humor in all this), one stage Keytar Bear will definitely be on belongs to the Middle East in Cambridge, when he and Abigail Taylor celebrate the anniversary of Keytar Bear and Abby Taylor Day on May 8 with The Famous The Bikes, Somerville Ukulele Club, and the Bear himself.
