Just before Stefan Logan got under the kickoff last night at Heinz Field, across the river in Point State Park, the Black Eyed Peas took it to the house and spiked it.

The hip-hop group, in the midst of a record-breaking run atop the singles charts, got it started for the towel-waving, black-and-gold mob with an hour of pure boom boom pow.

Back when the Peas were just breaking as an indie hip-hop group, no one could have imagined them playing songs that go with football highlights. But since then, the group has fueled its set with thumpers like "Let's Get it Started," "Pump It" and even "I Gotta Feeling," which opened NBC's pregame show on a note of hopeful anticipation.

Although Tim McGraw's 5:30 set had a relaxed, even tentative feel -- the Titans fan may have been a little freaked by all that black and gold -- there was some serious magic in the air as the sunset and fountain spray created a stunning backdrop for the proceedings.

"Steelers fans, make some noise!" the Peas' cocky frontman, will.i.am, said to a round of cheers.

"Titans fans, make some noise!" he said to silence and then boos. "You know you gotta be a crazy Titans fan to be around all these crazy Steelers fans."

While will.i.am created most of the flow -- and even challenged nearby Deion Sanders to a footrace -- Fergie brought lovely, powerful vocals to songs like "Meet Me Halfway" and "Don't Phunk with My Heart." If she had worn in prime-time what she wore for the most of the show, a tight body suit with a whole lot of material missing in the hips, we'd be talking about another wardrobe malfunction this morning.

Mr. McGraw's set was wholly different, opening up with a crowd sing-along on "I Like It, I Love It" then settling into a midtempo Nashville groove on "Indian Outlaw" and "Where the Green Grass Grows." He and the band did pick it up as the set wore on with the honky-tonk stomp of "Real Good Man" and the stirring closer "Live Like You Were Dying."

When he returned for TV, Mr. McGraw opened with, of all things, the breakup song "For a Little While," followed by the anthemic title track to his new album "Southern Voice."

They say hip-hop and country don't mix. Last night, it was one pretty happy family in Steelers Nation.