A 12-year-old drummer from the New South Wales Far South Coast has lived every music fan's fantasy, trading the mosh pit for the stage to perform with iconic Australian rock band The Screaming Jets.
From the Crowd to the Kit
Noah Pope, a self-taught musician from Mogo, found himself in the spotlight at Canberra's high-octane Summernats festival on January 14, 2026. His journey to the stage began with a simple, hand-painted cardboard sign. One side read, "Can I drum with you, please?" and the other proclaimed, "Yeah, The Screaming Jets!"
After being hoisted onto a stranger's shoulders, the young musician caught the eye of the band. Initially, The Screaming Jets were hesitant, citing occupational health and safety concerns. However, the festival crowd had other ideas.
The Power of the Chant
A spontaneous wave of chanting erupted from the packed audience, all urging the band with the same passionate plea: "Let him drum!" The collective voice of the crowd proved irresistible.
"When they saw the sign, they were like, 'I see you kid, but occupational health and safety rules probably won't let us'," Noah recalled to ACM's Bega District News. The crowd's reaction quickly changed the band's mind.
Within moments, the young drummer was lifted onto the stage and introduced to the roaring crowd by the band's charismatic frontman, Dave Gleeson.
Rockin' in a Freezing Hot World
Noah then took his place behind the drum kit for a rendition of Neil Young's classic, "Rockin' in the Free World." Despite not knowing the song beforehand, he kept pace with the seasoned musicians.
"I can't remember the name of the song, but I didn't know it. I just followed along with the guitarists and the awesome bassist. I was really quite lucky," Noah said, describing the experience as "quite scary, but it was very, very fun."
The performance took place in sweltering conditions, with temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius. The heat and dust from the festival's famous car drifting displays created a chaotic, energetic atmosphere.
Noah's mother, Lettie Pope, who captured the moment, said the scene was "truly crazy." "At one stage a guy just grabbed my phone, turned it around and screamed into it," she said, praising festival organisers for handing out frozen Zooper Dooper ice blocks to help the crowd cool down.
This incredible moment comes fresh off the back of Noah's viral appearance at Pambula's Wanderer Festival, cementing his reputation as a young musician with the courage to seize an opportunity and the talent to back it up.
