NOT "DARK" YET: PEARL JAM PLANS NEW LP, TOUR

Pearl Jam has a big 2024 in store surrounding the 4/19 release of its next Monkeywrench/Republic album, Dark Matter, including a 34-date world tour that will visit arenas, stadiums and a handful of festivals from May through November. Powered by whiplash-inducing guitar riffs in the vein of AC/DC and Soundgarden, the hard-rocking title track from the LP is out now.

Dark Matter was produced by Grammy winner Andrew Watt, a diehard Pearl Jam fan who tuned up for the job by overseeing Eddie Vedder's 2022 solo album, Earthling, and later joining his solo band. The 11-track set was recorded in three weeks of sessions at Rick Rubin's Shangri-La studio in Los Angeles. It's the follow-up to Gigaton, which came out just weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 but still managed to produce the Rock radio hits "Dance of the Clairvoyants" and "Superblood Wolfmoon."

Vedder and band members Jeff Ament and Mike McCready helped debut Dark Matter for a crowd of friends, family and industry supporters at a 1/31 playback at Los Angeles' Troubadour. Vedder poured tequila shots for surprised onlookers while rocking out in the front row with his 19-year-old daughter, Olivia; Watt (in a vintage Mookie Blaylock jersey); and longtime confidant Michele Anthony, who helped bring the pre-fame Pearl Jam to Epic in 1990.

"We're still looking for ways to communicate," Vedder said of Dark Matter, the cover of which features light-painting art by Alexandr Gnezdilov. "We're at this time in our lives when you could do it or you could not do it, but we still care about putting something out there that is meaningful and we think is our best work."

Also on hand at the event were Republic's Monte Lipman, Jim Roppo, Alex Coslov, Taylor Vaughan and Beau Benton, Pearl Jam lawyer Elliot Groffman, Universal Music Publishing Group's Marc Cimino and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith.

Still a top worldwide live draw, Pearl Jam will hit the road starting 5/4 in Vancouver, visit the U.K. and Europe in June and July, return to North America in August and September and conclude in New Zealand and Australia in November. Dust off that grunge-era flannel and be there in time to catch the opening acts, which include the Pixies, Richard Ashcroft, Glen Hansard, Deep Sea Diver and The Murder Capital.

Tickets go on sale 2/23; click here for the full itinerary and registration details.