Video: Twelve-Year-Old Drummer Jams “Vacuity” with Gojira at Soundcheck

Regular ol’ pedestrians jamming with their heroes in famous metal bands is in the air lately. Just in the past couple of months there was this guy who played “Would?” with Alice in Chains for their encore, and the fellow who filled in for The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Greg Puciato by writing a message to the band on the back of his ticket.

And now this: Riley Lee, who goes by “Steelface,” got to sit behind the kit before Gojira’s show this past weekend in Massachusetts and jam “Vacuity” with guitarist Joe Duplantier. The best part: he’s only twelve years old! He absolutely kills it, naturally. and not just in a “well, for a 12-year-old…” way; this guy can PLAY. He’s on time, he can sit back in the pocket and groove, he hits consistently… and that blast beat section at 2:45, my God! Yeah, this kid’s gonna have quite the career as a drummer if he wants to.

Check out video of the jam below (unfortunately shot in vertical mode — how do people still not know not to do this???). We aren’t sure what led this particular jam to take place (looks to be part of a VIP package, based on Riley’s Facebook page), but the best is how the stage crew gives Steelface the full treatment, with lights, smoke and all.

Here’s some quick footage we shot of Gojira laying waste to NYC the very next night: