The 12th Man is about to get a full-volume reminder of why this city helped invent modern rock.
Surviving Soundgarden members Ben Shepherd (bass), Kim Thayil (guitar), and Matt Cameron (drums) are set to take the field at Lumen Field for the Week 1 halftime show when the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks open the 2026 season. Joining them will be Taylor Momsen of The Pretty Reckless on vocals and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready on guitar—an all-Seattle (and Seattle-adjacent) heavyweight lineup that feels tailor-made for the loudest stadium in the NFL.
The combination carries real history. Momsen has stepped into Chris Cornell’s formidable shoes before, most notably delivering a ferocious take on “Rusty Cage” alongside Thayil, Shepherd, Cameron, and McCready during Soundgarden’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction performance in 2025. That night in Los Angeles already proved the chemistry works: Momsen’s powerful, unflinching delivery paired with Thayil’s thick, lagging riffs and McCready’s soaring leads created something that honored the catalog without trying to replace the irreplaceable.
Cameron, of course, needs no introduction in this building. The longtime Pearl Jam and Soundgarden drummer has already shown up for the Seahawks in recent seasons, even linking with the Blue Thunder drumline for pregame thunder on tracks like “Jesus Christ Pose.” Bringing the full power trio plus friends onto the field for halftime raises the stakes considerably.
Expect a short, high-impact set built for stadium scale. “Rusty Cage” feels like a lock given the Hall of Fame precedent. “Outshined,” “Spoonman,” or a thunderous “Black Hole Sun” would also make perfect sense under the lights with 70,000-plus voices ready to join in. Thayil’s guitar tone and Shepherd’s low-end growl were designed for this kind of space. Add Momsen’s stage presence and McCready’s melodic fire and the middle of a football game suddenly becomes a legitimate rock event.
For Seattle music fans, the symbolism runs deep. Soundgarden helped put the city on the global map in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Cameron has long bridged the Soundgarden and Pearl Jam worlds. Momsen has repeatedly shown respect for the Northwest scene, recording with Thayil and Cameron and sharing stages with them over the years. McCready’s appearance closes the circle—another reminder that the bonds formed in those early clubs never fully dissolved.
Week 1 already carries extra weight as the Seahawks open at home as champions. Pairing that with a genuine Seattle rock reunion turns the evening into something rarer: a night where the city’s two loudest traditions—football and heavy music—collide in the same building.
If the sound system holds and the 12th Man answers the call, Lumen Field is going to feel less like a stadium and more like the loudest club in the Pacific Northwest for 12 or 15 unforgettable minutes.
