Pearl Jam sat with Colbert before taking the stage to perform their song "Mind Your Manners" off Lightning Bolt. The crowd, part of which had been set up to stand on the stage for Pearl Jam's performance, immediately launched into chants of "One more song!" when the band wrapped up. Pearl Jam happily complied with "Rockin' in the Free World," Neil Young's classic.

The whole performance quickly left behind the sometimes static late night format and felt far more like watching a rock show. Feeding off the crowd's energy, Eddie Vedder surfed into the audience.