Neil Young Surprises Pearl Jam at Toronto Concert With 15-Minute 'Keep on Rockin'

While many were speculating that either Chris Cornell or U2's Bono would join Pearl Jam onstage during their Sept. 11 in Toronto as both rockers were in town for TIFF festivities, it was Canadian crooner Neil Young who surprised the stadium-sized crowd by taking the Air Canada Centre stage with the Seattle group.

Pearl Jam -- in town to kick off their latest Canadian tour as well as premiere their 'Pearl Jam Twenty' documentary at TIFF -- were closing their 26-song, 150-minute set with a cover of Young's 'Rockin' in the Free World' when the iconic singer came onstage to help bring the track home. Young would make the most of the cameo, extending the song well into what seemed like the 15-minute range. The response from the sold-out audience was nothing short of deafening.

"Uncle Neil," as Eddie Vedder called him, then harmonized with Pearl Jam's frontman -- who actually seemed quite surprised by Young's appearance -- on one microphone before rounding things out with a huge finish and hugging it out with the band, who played on his 1995 album, 'Mirror Ball.'

Earlier in the night, Vedder joked that if Pearl Jam are being called PJ20 this year then Young would have to be dubbed NY51, dating back to his first band the Jades.

Young is in Toronto for TIFF where he's premiering 'Neil Young Journeys,' the final film of a trilogy that director Jonathan Demme has done on his career. The film will screen Monday (Sept. 12), with Young set to walk the red carpet.

Pearl Jam continues their Canadian tour with a second show in Toronto before concluding the trek in Vancouver Sept. 25. The band will also visit South America and Mexico for 10 shows in November.

Watch Neil Young Perform With Pearl Jam in Toronto