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.

Pearl Jam, Aerosmith and Green Day, along with Skunk Anansie, are some of the first confirmed acts for the 2010 Heineken Jammin Festival. It will take place July 3-6 in Venice Italy at Mestre’s San Guiliano Park. Earlier this week the four acts were announced during a Mestre press conference attended by Venice’s Mayor, Heineken Italy’s Marketing Director, Live Nation Italy/Milano Concerti’s CEO, and Municipalita Mestre Carpendo’s President.

1998 was the first year for the Heineken Jammin Festival event. The headliner was Vasco Rossi. In 2007 the festival became an event of four days and featured acts like Stone Sour, Slayer and Iron Maiden.

The Cranberries and Aerosmith are scheduled for July 3. On July 4, Green Day, Rise Against and 30 Seconds to Mars are scheduled. On July 5, Massive Attack and Black Eyed Peas are set to perform. On July 6, Pearl Jam, Wolfmother, Gossip, Skunk Anansie and Ben Harper will wrap up the festivities. The lineup for the 2010 Heineken Jammin Festival is subject to change.

Pearl Jam, The Black Crowes and My Morning Jacket head the lineup that organizers have announced for next year’s New Orleans Jazz Fest 41st edition.

The festival will be held April 23-25 as well as April 29-May 2 at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. Also featured will be Darius Rucker, Widespread Panic, Lionel Richie, Van Morrison, Steep Canyon Rangers, Steve Martin, The Allman Brothers Band, Elvis Costello and Aretha Franklin among others.

The event will also be featuring traditional crafts and foods as well as many local acts. Tickets are on sale currently, with several pricing tiers available. These include single day tickets, which cost $45 purchased in advanced. At the gate the cost will be $60.

According to the promoters of the festival, over 400,000 fans attended the 2009 Jazz Fest. Bon Jovi made their first appearance last year at the long-running festival in New Orleans. Their performance was watch by many of the fans.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival, since 1970, has featured performers from a wide variety of genres, including zydeco, Cajun, R&B, pop, rock, blues, gospel and jazz.

The edition last year saw the festival return to their seven full programming days. In 2005 the city was trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina. Organizers were forced to eliminate a day in 2006 and 2007.

Elvis Costello, Pearl Jam, and The Dave Matthew Band are among the acts that are scheduled for performances on “Austin City Limits,” the public broadcast musical show, which on October 3 will begin its 35th year.

Other season lineup members include Ben Harper, Willie Nelson, who will perform with Asleep at the Wheel, and Them Crooked Vultures (which is the recently formed super group including Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters, John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin and Josh Homme, frontman for Queens of the Stone Age).

Two hip hop groups, K’Naan and Mos Def, have been booked for the very first time. Terry Lickona, producer for Austin City Limits said, we have talked about this for a few years. Finally it came together, referring to the show’s expanding into hip hop.