Former New Orleans Saint Steve Gleason introduced Pearl Jam last night during their first-ever headlining performance at the Voodoo Music Experience in City Park. Gleason, who has been battling—and raising awareness about—ALS for the for past few years, took the stage to proclaim that, “this is my hometown, and this is my hometown band.”

The night’s setlist, which was written by Gleason, included a few tracks from the band’s latest album Lightning Bolt, as well as two songs by Mother Love Bone, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard’s pre-Pearl Jam project. The set also featured fantastic renditions of classics like “Jeremy” and “Even Flow,” the latter of which was stretched out significantly and included some stellar behind-the-back guitar work from Mike McCready, who was wearing a Team Gleason shirt in honor of his friend. The concert wrapped up with a cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin in the Free World,” followed by the B-side “Yellow Ledbetter.”

Eddie Vedder spent a good bit of time praising the city of New Orleans, while also eliciting cheers from the crowd whenever he made his politics clear. As the band returned to the stage for their encore, Vedder railed against BP for spending their money on a media campaign to manipulate public opinion about the Gulf oil spill instead of spending their money to help the victims of the disaster. He also announced that he was once arrested in New Orleans (an event that took place almost exactly 20 years ago), and even took some time to point out the fact that no one has ever died of a marijuana overdose.

The Voodoo Music Experience will continue tonight with performances by Nine Inch Nails, Big Gigantic and more.

Here’s a look at last night’s setlist via Setlist.fm

Friday, November 1, 2013, Pearl Jam, Voodoo Music Experience, New Orleans, LA

Sirens
In My Tree
Save You
Corduroy
Animal
Lightning Bolt
Mind Your Manners
Given to Fly
Getaway
Even Flow
Present Tense
Severed Hand
Daughter
Jeremy
Inside Job
State of Love and Trust
Rearviewmirror 


Encore:

Chloe Dancer (Mother Love Bone cover)
Crown of Thorns (Mother Love Bone cover)
Do the Evolution
Go
Black
Alive
Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young cover)
Yellow Ledbetter