Keanu Reeves Embraces His Inner Johnny Silverhand by Reuniting With His 90s Rock Band
Keanu Reeves awakened his inner Johnny Silverhand as he reunited with his rock band Dogstar for his first public show in over 20 years at the 2023 Bottlerock Napa Valley Music Festival.
Reeves, who played rock star-turned-warrior Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077, took to Verizon’s stage with a bass guitar on May 27. He performed alongside Dogstar drummer Robert Mailhouse and guitarist/vocalist Brett Domrose in front of a festival-going crowd.
according to San Francisco ChronicleDogstar attracted a sizable crowd with a set that included songs from their back catalog and upcoming album, generating plenty of cheers and even declarations of love for “John Wick” throughout the afternoon.
After a long hiatus from live performances in public, Mailhouse offered Reeves some welcome advice before taking the stage with the band. “He was very positive,” Reeves told the magazine. “He was like, ‘Listen to the music. Just be in the song and it’ll work from there.'”
Dogstar formed in 1991 and disbanded in 2002 after two studio albums and an EP to moderate success. But Reeves took the opportunity to re-embrace his inner rock star by lending his voice and likeness to rebel rocker boy Johnny His Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077.
The upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 expansion, Phantom Liberty, will see Reeves return as Silverhand, with a new cast including Idris Elba as Solomon Reed. However, CD Projekt Red has yet to confirm pricing or a specific release date for the update.
Reeves’ turn as the Silver Hand is just one of many hats he’s worn throughout his decades-long acting career. He has continually proven himself to be influential in business, whether playing cyber his superhero, a time-traveling teen, or the world’s deadliest killer.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
