To some people who recall Seattle's early-90s grunge scene, it will always be Nirvana v Pearl Jam, and that's a great pity. A band fronted by a surf dude who smokes so much pot he recently installed a fireman's pole in his home so he can get to his studio before he forgets anything - c'mon, these are now pretty fun guys. Never was this more evident than on the band's new one, Backspacer. Less doom in big shorts, more sharp new wavey compositions, the group seem to be reconnecting with their past in an extremely profitable way. This doesn't mean PJ are total escapists, though. Still capable of an emotive ballad, Eddie Vedder and company have found a way to reinvigorate their game while creating quality fortysomething balladry, the better to get up there in the pantheon with Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young.

• Manchester Evening News Arena, Mon 17 Aug; O2 Arena, SE10, Tue 18 Aug