Yungblud has taken fan engagement to the next level by making a habit of inviting his fans to play electric guitar on stage. Over the past two weeks, two of these fan encounters stood out and were posted to Yungblud's social media, with both lucky fans bagging Yungblud's guitar.
At Czechia's Rock for People, Yungblud invited a festival attendee, Šimon, to play his defiant single, fleabag, on stage with him, after asking the audience, “Does anyone know how to play this on the guitar? Who the fuck plays guitar?”
Yungblud pointed at Šimon in the audience and said, “Do you play guitar? Then fucking come up right now.” The social media videos show Šimon, in complete disbelief, take Yungblud's guitar and immediately hit his stride after the first few chords.
Right after the performance, the indie rock guitar star gave the fan and young guitarist his SG Junior to keep.
However, this wasn't the only thing that Šimon got out of the encounter, as Rock for People booked him for next year's edition.
In another video that went viral, Yungblud invited a fan on stage during his June 9 concert in Budapest. Another young guitarist, Betti, held a sign saying: “Can I play fleabag?” Yungblud spotted her and, naturally, brought her on stage to play guitar with him.
In a social media post, Betti wrote, “been preparing for this moment for 3 years. thank you dom,” before confirming in the comments that Yungblud was sending her the guitar she played in recognition of her efforts.
The guitar that Yungblud has been handing out looks to be the signature Epiphone SG Junior that the artist teased on social media back in April.
Although it has yet to be officially released, it is a white-finished model that mirrors his original vintage SG Junior, fully equipped with a single bridge pickup and black pickguard.
So far, it looks like the original's heavy wear and tear hasn't been reproduced in the Epiphone signature model, as the one given to Šimon looks pristine.
In an interview with Australian Guitar, Yungblud emphasized how important his fans are to him and his career growth: “Why, by some fucking miracle, have I gotten this far? It’s because of my fanbase and my community – they know I’m telling the truth to them, and I ain’t gonna leave them behind.
“All I give a shit about is growing this little club, person by person – I’m never going to go, 'Alright, cool, it’s time for a fucking hit on the radio now.' Because by doing that, I’d lose my credibility – I’d lose my connection to my fans.”
In other news, Yungblud has announced the first edition of Bludfest, a one-day festival in Milton Keynes, UK, which aims to provide an affordable alternative to a festival industry that Yungblud deems "too expensive."
