Beneath a cloud-less, brilliant blue sky adorned with memorials to Prince, the grunge titans brought the heat to deliver a two-hour, 15-minute rock marathon about as epic as they come. The Seattle band’s second appearance on the Acura Stage started with a welcoming of Saints hero and ALS champion Steve Gleason, a Spokane, Washington native long a close friend and devoted fan. (Eddie Vedder sported, beneath his gray collared button down, a “Defend Team Gleason” tee, while guitarist Mike McCready wore a black Defend New Orleans tee, as he did at Voodoo in 2013.) The local love and lore continued after Vedder—sweating, smiling, scowling and bouncing about the entire show—told they audience how colorful they were before adding “If you want to see colorful, you should get locked up here at four in the morning,” alluding to his 1993 arrest and visit to Orleans Parish Prison following a bar brawl in the French Quarter.

“A State of Love and Trust”—the feisty rocker first heard in defining Gen X film Singles from 1992 (and originally recorded, but not released, for the band’s earth-shifting debut album, Ten)—kicked off a blistering start, followed in frenzied succession by up-tempo numbers leading to a killer take on “Corduroy.” The pace then slowed to tranquil with “Nothing Man,” a popular tune from 1994’s Vitalogy that gave the bros their first chance to sing along, but which also saw a soul-stirring howl into the lyrics “Oh, into the sun / Ah, into the sun” perfectly pitched and time by Vedder.

Pearl Jam didn’t reach for one of the anthems from Ten until halfway into the set with “Evenflow.” It was a mammoth take on the tune, and not surprising after Vedder introduced the song by with, “We’re going to try and play the shit out of it.” Capable of delicate moments amidst all the rock swagger, Pearl Jam soon switched gears into “Daughter.” Mellow in tone, but furious in message, the song was marked by McCready’s acoustic strumming and ushered to a closing whisper by guitarist Stone Gossard’s masterful solo finish.  

Fan-favorite “Alive” began a holy trifecta of songs to finish the show in fine fashion. Still full of surprises and wide-varying set lists, Pearl Jam brought a horn section to stage before launching into a cover of the Who’s early-era rager “The Real Me.” The horns stayed as the band welcomed Red Hot Chili Peppers Chad Smith (drums) and Josh Klingoffer (guitar) on stage to help them rip a final “Keep on Rocking in the Free World” by Pearl Jam inspiration Neil Young. While the song is often covered by the band, it was positioned here in obvious tribute to the “Godfather of Grunge,” set to take the Acura Stage next Sunday.   

Ending a bit early at 6:45 with a close scheduled at 7 p.m., Pearl Jam exited the stage with no pomp and circumstance, befitting the silent-victor humility that has sustained the band’s remarkable career longevity. “Thanks for the energy,” Vedder said at last. “I’ll keep it.”