Pearl Jam LIVE REVIEW: Seattle rockers bring grunge to The O2, London

“It’s been weighing on my mind for about three and a half weeks, since we were last here,” says lead singer Eddie Vedder, who lost his voice after their first set in the capital last month, forcing them to push back the second show.

“It broke my heart. Having a busted throat and a broken heart at the same time was really a nightmare of an experience.”

But if you put it into perspective, the wait was actually a short one for the UK fans who have held out almost a decade to see one of the longest-running grunge bands in the world perform again.

It had been a staggering eight years since Pearl Jam – made up of Vedder, Mike McCready, Matt Cameron, Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard – last played in London, and tonight they were certainly not afraid of making up for lost time.

With 12 studio albums over a career spanning more than a quarter of a century and counting, a stomping set lasting three hours and a mammoth 33 songs seemed only appropriate.

Pearl Jam made the most of their discography, switching smoothly between fist-pumping heavy belters and the melodic ballads that have long cemented them as part of the iconic Seattle 90s grunge scene alongside Nirvana and Soundgarden.

It was, unsurprisingly, their debut album Ten which featured most in the setlist, with the atmospheric Oceans easing in the audience gently before edging into a dreamy take of Nothing As It Seems from Binaural.

Cranking things up a gear, the ever-rowdy Go off the record Vs. gave the first burst of energy of the night and soon got the crowd pumping.

There were a few surprises in the mix, with a touching tribute to Tom Petty and a cover of I Won’t Back Down, as well as a dedication to Cameron’s daughter in the form of You Are from Riot Act.

Crowd pleasers Even Flow and Alive gave Vedder ample opportunity to show off his broody, gritty vocals that were clearly back on top form, while angst-ridden Jeremy turned the thousands into professional Pearl Jam backing vocalists as they belted the lyrics back.

Switching it up, lead guitarist McCready relished in getting behind the microphone while bassist Ament and rhythm guitarist Gossard provided a powerhouse of propulsive beats.

Ever the energetic frontman, Vedder made time to get up close and personal to the crowd, standing on the barrier several times to grab their hands and acknowledging those who have travelled to see them over the last six weeks across Europe.

But there was one guest who got an extra special mention: the Donald Trump baby blimp which was parked up outside The O2 Arena.

“In some ways it worked out that we got to come back and clean after him a bit – change his diaper!” Vedder joked to the crowd about the rescheduled event, before reeling off slogans spotted during the various Trump rallies for the US president’s visit.

Their time at The O2 ended on not one, but three encores, starting with turning around to play Elderly Woman Behind the Counter to audience members sat directly behind the stage.

Despite the venue half emptying out, the band are still on top form as the finish on a high with a cover of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower.

They may have celebrated a quarter century together in 2015, but tonight proved that Pearl Jam still love what they do – and the audience love them right back.