Could Pearl Jam’s two-night stand in Seattle last year have been our last shots to see the band for a long, long time? Several sources, including Harms from Seattle’s KNDD-FM (The End, 107.7) in Seattle, are reporting that Pearl Jam is going on hiatus.

“Thank you for coming to our last show,” Eddie Vedder told a crowd at the Optimus Alive Festival in Lisbon Portugal. “Not our last ever, but our last in a long time.”

That’s the widely circulated translation of …

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Alice in Chains has warmed up with a bunch of theater dates since releasing comeback album “Black Gives Way to Blue” last year. And now the resurgent grunge-metal heroes have announced plans to take it up several notches with its Black Diamond Skye tour, which will bring take over Seattle’s KeyArena on Oct. 8.

A in C has tapped Mastodon and Deftones for support, with other regional dates at Vancouver, BC’s General Motors Place on Oct. 7 and Portland’s Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 9.

The recently reunited Soundgarden’s first official, confirmed gig is at Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival in August. But Billboard and other sources are reporting that the grunge titans will actually launch their comeback bid Friday night at Showbox at the Market. If true, it’ll be their first gig since 1997.

Soundgarden just ended all speculation about when and where the reunited grunge titans might first show up. An e-mail update from the band directed fans to their Soundgarden web site which detailed plans to headline Lollapalooza on Aug. 8 at Chicago’s Grant Park.

Green Apple Quick Step played only their second show in about a dozen years last night at Hell’s Kitchen. I had my trusty Canon Rebel XTI handy, so I decided to play rock photog again. Here’s what I got.

Hey, who’s ready for some “Dirty Water Ocean?”

In case you haven’t heard, Seattle post-grunge outfit Green Apple Quick Step is back in action, ready to rock only their second show in about a dozen years Friday night at Tacoma’s Hell’s Kitchen. “Dirty Water” – a cut that earned the band props from none other than “Beavis and Butthead” back in the ‘90s – will definitely be on tonight’s set list.

So says lead singer and Tacoma boy Ty Willman, who I caught up with for Friday’s GO section. Click the links to hear some of what he …

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This footage sat unedited on my hard drive longer than planned. But maybe I was just saving it as a Valentine’s Day gift to all you Alice fans out there. Enjoy!

P.S. In a related matter, the band announced details for a “Your Decision” comic contest this weekend, details here.

Last week I was kayaking, snorkeling with Crayola fish and eating shaved ice a stone’s throw from Barack Obama’s vacation crib in Kailua. Needless to say, I’m a little bummed about being back in the cold, drizzly Northwest. But at least I have the Soundgarden announcement to lift my spirits a bit.

Here’s Chris Cornell’s Twitter announcement, for those who haven’t heard:

The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!

Seattle Theatre Group has announced a second Alice in Chains date at the Paramount Theatre on Feb. 5. That’s in addition to the show already scheduled for Feb. 4. Tickets are on sale now, and you can find out more here.

Tickets for Alice in Chains’ Feb. 4 show at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday (Dec. 5). Prices range from $36.50 to $46.50, and you can find more details here.