Pearl Jam on SNL Tonight, at MSG in May

Live from New York, it's another Saturday night with Pearl Jam. Tune into Saturday Night Live this evening to see Jude Law play funny and Seattle’s reigning rock band play two tunes from their latest album, Backspacer. Giddily retweeted clues suggest Pearl Jam will play the gorgeous "Just Breathe" and chunky-riffed "Force Of Nature." (Wouldn't it be cool, though, if they surprised everyone with a cut from the forthcoming—probably—Backspacer-session EP?) Cross your fingers for a skit that has the real Eddie Vedder trading verses with Bill Hader's EV.

Pearl Jam will return to New York City in May to wrap a just-announced 11-stop tour with two nights (5/20 and 5/21) at Madison Square Garden. (Local fave Band of Horses opens for the first nine shows; the Black Keys will support PJ in NYC.) Sorry Seattle, this tour is solely for Midwest and East Coast fans. (I sympathize with this geographically unfortunate fan: "Pearl Jam are the hot girls in high school. They never come anywhere near me.") Maybe those of us who can't make the trip will get another excellent concert DVD out of the deal.

The band's Ten Club members already know about Monday's ticket pre-sales. The less-avid general public gets in on it March 19 (Columbus, Noblesville, Hartford, Boston, Bristow) and March 20 (Kansas City, St. Louis, Cleveland, New York). The May 18 gig, sandwiched between Boston's Garden and MSG, is TBD. No word on ticket prices, but does that really matter?