A Belsonic gig turned into a life-changing moment when a young fan was invited on stage by Zach Bryan to perform in front of 45,000 people.
With golden circle tickets bought back in November and a handmade sign ready, 16-year-old Paul had one goal – to join the American singer on stage for Nine Ball and against all odds that dream came true.
As Bryan began playing the intro to Nine Ball, it looked like the moment had passed, but then the singer spotted the sign and stopped.
Security lifted him over the barriers, onto the stage, and the rest was history.
“He said: ‘Play for your dad, I’ve never seen a poster like that before… do we trust him?'” Paul recalled, as the crowd roared in support.
“I walked out on the stage and 45,000 people were cheering at me,” he said.
What followed was a surreal duet of Nine Ball, with Paul performing alongside one of his musical heroes despite only having take up guitar 10 months ago.
Bryan asked him on stage why he wanted to play the song for his dad, and Paul said the conversation helped settle his nerves.
“Before this, I wouldn’t have even had the confidence to record myself and post it so, it’s a little bit of a leap,” he said.