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Keytar Bear World
Night view of the Boston Back Bay skyline across the water, with illuminated towers.

Boston

Keytar Bear from behind, in a cream and black jacket with a gold crown, holding a keytar across the back with one arm raised.
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Keytar BearWorld

Boston’s unofficial musical mascot.

Keytar Bear facing forward, in a cream and black jacket, holding a white and gold keytar and pointing toward the viewer.
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Boston plate: Chris Rycroft. CC BY 2.0. Photograph

The record

History

PHOTOGRAPH PENDINGOriginThe April 4, 2014 interview. Already seen before the Marathon. The person stays unknown.PHOTOGRAPH PENDINGBoston’s BearBest Street Performer. Guster and Fenway. A shared Jagger video. New Balance, Trillium, Boston Ballet.PHOTOGRAPH PENDINGFilm / NowKely Maloney’s film premiered March 7, 2025, then GlobeDocs. This is the current chapter.
Explore history

Performance

Sound

Songs the reporting connects to the bear. Nothing here is an owned recording.

01 / 05

Clocks

Coldplay. Named in coverage of the street sets.

Spotify and Apple Music, via the official hubExplore sound
Keytar Bear facing forward, in a cream and black jacket, holding a white and gold keytar and pointing toward the viewer.

The character

Story

Anonymity was intentional. The costume came together around a TED event, after a police officer made performing on the street difficult.

In the April 4, 2014 interview, the performer said the bear had already been seen around the city before the Boston Marathon.

Enter the story

The city

Community

PHOTOGRAPH PENDINGCITGO signPHOTOGRAPH PENDINGMural setPHOTOGRAPH PENDINGDavis SquarePHOTOGRAPH PENDINGFenced sidewalkPHOTOGRAPH PENDINGDowntown CrossingPHOTOGRAPH PENDINGBoston Common
Explore community

The instrument

Play the keytar

The instrument is in the next room. One note at a time.

Play the keytar

Invite

Booking

Live performanceFestivals, street sets, Guster, and Fenway.Brand / cultural activationNew Balance, Trillium, and Boston Ballet.Festival / communityCity days and benefits.Media / filmThe 2025 short, the Modern Theatre, and GlobeDocs.
Book Keytar Bear