Anyone else notice that Seaweed is headlining the newly revamped Crocodile Cafe on Aug. 7? Well, that's not the only good news for fans. Sound engineer extraordinaire Mike Corvin tells me the Weedsters will soon head back to Tacoma's Sound West Audio to work on the comeback album they've been plotting since 2007. Maybe they can knock the rest of that thing out with singer Aaron Stauffer in town for a couple of months.

Don't call it a comeback! Seaweed's Wade Neal (foreground) and Jesse Fox with sound engineer Mike Corvin, working on their first album in years back in '07. Since this shot was taken, the band has played several well-received comeback shows, including big sets at Bumbershoot, Sub Pop's 20th anniversary festival and Tacoma's Hell's Kitchen.
LIU KIT WONG

Pearl Jam will kick off their world tour with a two-night stand at Seattle's KeyArena on Sept. 21 and 22, the band announced today. Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 have been tapped for support.

Tickets for the Seattle shows will go on sale on July 18.

The tour will begin a day after the scheduled release of Pearl Jam's forthcoming album, "Backspacer." In an arrangement that echoes similar deals inked by AC/DC and Guns N' Roses, the new disc will be retailed exclusively through Target, according to today's press release.

Find more info on the band's fan site.

Pearl Jam is Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Eddie Vedder and Matt Cameron. (Hey, where's Boom Gaspar?)
DANNY CLINCH