Watch Pearl Jam ‘Just Breathe’ With Lukas Nelson & ‘Smile’ With Glen Hansard In Missoula

After spending part of the summer performing in Europe, Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter Tour resumed stateside on Thursday night with a concert at the University of Montana’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Montana. Frontman Eddie Vedder dueted with special guest Lukas Nelson and frequent collaborator and opening act Glen Hansard also sat in with the band.

Thursday’s concert was a home-state affair for bassist Jeff Ament who is a native of the rural small town of Big Sandy, Montana. Fellow Big Sandy native, U.S. Senator Jon Tester, was in attendance at the Pearl Jam concert last night. Ament’s father notably was the one who cut Tester’s hair for the first time in his now signature flat-top style.

Jeff Ament and other members of Pearl Jam wore t-shirts in support of Tester during the final song of the night, a cover of “Rockin’ In The Free World” by Neil Young that saw Nelson and Hansard joining in.

Nelson came out at the start of the encore to share the stage with Vedder. As the two prepared to perform together, Vedder addressed the audience and Nelson.

“One of the most poignant moments I have ever experienced as some kind of a songwriter was when Lukas and his pop Willie did a version of this song and brought a whole new meaning to it,” Vedder said. “And Lukas I just want to tell you it’s an honor to play this song with you tonight.”

Lukas Nelson and Willie Nelson recorded “Just Breathe” for the latter’s 2012 album, Heroes. The song originally appeared on Pearl Jam’s 2009 album, Backspacer.

Responding that the honor was his, Lukas performed the same part he did with his father, playing a second acoustic guitar alongside Vedder. Watch the performance below:

After the Vedder/Nelson duet, Nelson exited and the rest of Pearl Jam emerged with Hansard in tow. The band, with Hansard on electric guitar, then lit into “Smile,” which featured Vedder playing harmonica on the Ament/Vedder-written song from 1998’s No Code. Watch “Smile” footage:

Pearl Jam opened Thursday’s concert in Missoula with “Given To Fly.” The massive video screens flanking the band depicted images of the nearby scenic natural landscapes and the University of Montana campus.

Later in the main set, Pearl Jam busted out a cover of John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth” for its first performance since September 26, 2006, a span of 341 shows between setlist appearances.

Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter Tour continues next Monday, August 26 at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana. View additional shares from Thursday’s show in Missoula below: