Pearl Jam, before heading over to Europe this June, is adding a small run of East coast and Midwest dates starting in early May to support “Backspacer,” their recent album. They will wrap up the trek at Madison Square Garden with a two night stand on May 20-21.

The new dates for the US were announced on Pearl Jam’s website. The veteran rockers from Seattle are preparing for their March 13 Saturday Live musical guest appearance. On May 1 Pearl Jam will perform at New Orleans Jazz Festival. They will be kick things off in Dublin on June 22 for their European outing and will wrap up on July 10 in Oeiras, Portugal.

Pearl Jam’s fan club will have presale access to tickets from the band’s website for the American shows starting on March 15. Public on sales will take place March 19-20.

In other news related to Pearl Jam, there is a new live version of the band’s song “Animal” from their 2008 Bonnaroo performance. It’s featured on a compilation album entitled “Best of Bonnaroo”. NRDC Action Fund and HeadCount organized the compilation to held raise awareness regarding climate change. Musicforaction.org is providing free downloads of the song.

In the meantime Stone Gossard, Pearl Jam guitarist, has been working with Brad, his side band. Their new album, entitled “Best Friends?” will be released within the next couple of months. “Running For cover,” a track from the new album, can be downloaded free at the band’s website Bradcorporation.com. On April 14 Brad will playing in Seattle. The Brad & Friends show is sold out. It will feature Jeff Ament and Gossard from Pearl Jam along wit the remaining surviving band members from Mother Love Bone, Greg Gilmore and Bruce Fairweather. Next week will be the twentieth anniversary of Andy Wood’s death, the former frontman for Mother Love Bone.