More than halfway through the show, they welcomed the evening’s two opening acts, Jon Bellion and Judah & the Lion, back onto the stage for a bunch of high-spirited covers that showed how stylistically open-minded they all are: Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping,” Blackstreet’s “No Diggity,” The Black Eyed Peas’ “Where Is the Love?” and House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” Speaking of which, Judah & the Lion, who are from Nashville, was particularly impressive in its opening set, performing with explosive energy and showcasing a distinctive acoustic/electric sound (featuring banjo, mandolin and accordion but definitely more rock than country). But some of their music seemed to fit the moment, anyway, including “Stressed Out,” with its yearning for a simpler, less anxiety-provoking times, and “Guns for Hands,” a call to turn fear and dread into something positive. They didn’t mention President’s Trump inauguration, or the protests that took place throughout the world earlier on Saturday. In one clever interlude, Dun played a virtual drums duet with a video image of himself.

The stage show moved them all around the arena, with Joseph cruising over the crowd in a plastic ball, Dun (and, at one point, Joseph, too) leaving the stage to play drums in the crowd, Joseph popping up in the upper tier and the back of the arena, and both of them playing a few songs from a smaller stage on the arena floor.

Dun did a back flip off Joseph’s piano at one point, and Joseph leaped on top of it several times. Some of their accomplishments were athletic ones. They have four albums but not yet a distinctive style: You can hear traces of everything – Radiohead’s mysterious balladry, U2’s swooping anthems, Eminem’s nervous, staccato hip-hop – in their restless music. But Joseph and Dun are also fully of their time, blending elements of modern pop, hip-hop and dance music into their rock. The duo, which is from Columbus, Ohio – though Joseph’s mother grew up in Somerset County, and he mentioned several times during the show that his grandparents and other relatives were in attendance - represents a bit of hope for rock fans at a time when the Top 40 is dominated by pop, hip-hop and dance music. 12 Grammys Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, they will compete for three awards, including Record of the Year (for “Stressed Out”). In other words, not so long ago, they were nowhere, and look at where they are now, with three Top 10 singles over the past two years (“Stressed Out,” “Ride” and “Heathens”) and the ability not just to headline an arena such as the Prudential Center, but to sell it out.

21 pilots ride no drums