Pearl Jam paid tribute to a young Kiwi fan at the Big Day Out festival in Auckland on Friday night. The American rock band dedicated “Black” to their fan Tim “Zandy” Zandergen, who died in a boating accident in 2012.

Zandergen, 24, was killed when the speedboat that was towing him on a ski struck a navigation marker down the Swan River in Perth, Australia.

Lead vocalist Eddie Vedder said on stage before launching into the song, “This is for your friend who was with you last time but couldn’t be here tonight.”

He was talking to Zandergen’s friend, Chris Spragg, who was in the audience. Spragg was the one who asked the band to play his late friend’s favourite song and dedicate it to his memory. He sent his message to the rockers via their “Ten” fan club.

The friend informed the band how devoted a follower Zandergen was, telling them that they also attended a Pearl Jam gig in Christchurch four years ago.

Vedder added during the song, “Four years ago, you were by my side, I still feel you’re by my side, I feel you here with me tonight.”

Spragg told the New Zealand Herald that Zandergen would have been delighted by the tribute.

“I was completely blown away the band got my message and did that for Tim as it was one of his favourite tracks,” he told the paper. “It was very touching.”

The tragic fan’s mother, Michele Johnson, also said that Pearl Jam songs were played at his funeral. The tribute from the band – composed of Vedder, Matt Cameron (drums) Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (guitar), and Mike McCready (guitar) – would make the second death anniversary of her son on January 19 easier to endure.

“It was a wonderful thing for Pearl Jam to do and it would have been full of meaning for all Tim’s friends as well as our family,” the Herald quoted her as saying. “I know Tim would have heard it.”

Meanwhile, although Big Day Out festival in Auckland proved to be a success on Friday, the police were still able to arrest a small number of troublemakers.

“Two of them were for breaches of bail conditions and there were five intoxication arrests,” senior sergeant Jason Greenhalgh told APNZ.

There were also eight people who had to be evicted from the venue, including two fence-jumpers, he added. But in general, the BDO event in Western Springs was “well-run and well-managed.”