According to Billboard's "Inside Track" column, Pearl Jam filmed several recent shows in Italy for a new DVD, the first since 2003's "Live at the Garden." To heighten anticipation, the performances will not be made available as "bootleg" CDs, like most PJ concerts.
As a show last week in Torino, the band played its latest album, "Pearl Jam," its debut on Clive Davis' J Records label, in sequence for the first time. At another show, two days earlier in Milan, they covered Tom Waits' "Picture in a Frame."
The column also reports that Eddie Vedder's solo ukuele tune, "Goodbye," will be included on the soundtrack of "A Brokedown Melody," a surfing documentary spearheaded by singer-songwriter, and fellow surfing buddy, Jack Johnson. The documentary is due Nov. 14 from Brushfire, Johnson's recording company.

Some fans who went to Talib Kweli's sold-out hip-hop show earlier this month at Chop Suey have ended up pictured on Rolling Stone magazine's web site, www.rollingstone.com. The fans were asked about their personal clothing style, their favorite Seattle clubs and hangouts, etc. The feature-packed web site is also full of news, photos, music, video clips and tapes of interviews, including ones with members of Pearl Jam.

Seattle's most beloved dead band?
Botch would have to rank pretty high on the list. With complex compositions that pushed the boundaries of hardcore, Botch -- Brian Cook, David Knudson, Tim Latone and David Verellen -- won a loyal national following before calling it quits in 2002. Botch members went off to start hot indie-rockers Minus the Bear (Knudson, in the middle of another tour), toned-down Roy (Verellen, just finished a West Coast tour) and thundering These Arms are Snakes (Cook, touring like crazy).
The Seattle band still has some after-death roaring to do, as Hydra Head records is re-releasing "Unifying Themes Redux," originally put out by Excursion Records in 2002. "God vs. Science," "Third Part in a Tragedy," "Inch by Inch" and 13 other songs are on "Unifying Themes." For more info, check www.hydrahead.com.
**Additionally, according the myspace.com/botch, the band is remixing "American Nervoso" (1999): "we're gonna rerelease it with a bunch of extras (demos, extended versions of a couple of songs, the two opening measures of "hives" that accidentally got clipped off in the original mastering, etc...). it'll be out early next year."

Syd Barrett, the original Pink Floyd singer who died recently, will be remembered tonight at Ballard's Sunset Tavern (5433 Ballard Ave NW). Local bands Pleasurecraft, Central Services, Cantona and others will cover early Floyd and Barrett's later work starting around 9 p.m., $7 cover.

*** "Bad Brains - Live at CBGB 1982" screens for free tonight at 7 at Easy Street Records locations in Queen Anne (20 Mercer St. 206-681-3279) and West Seattle (4559 California Ave SW, 206-938-3279). This first-ever Bad Brains flick shows the crazed hardcore band playing the likes of "Big Take Over," "Attitude," "Right Brigade" and 19 other songs. Check out a preview clip .

A human drum machine named Darren King dazzled at the Showbox last night, consistently pumping up the Mute Math crowd. King pounded his sticks on everything he could see - the drums, cymbals, stage, piano - and busted out a few mesmerizing solos. New Orleans-based Mute Math, fronted by Chris "Coldplay" Martin/Sting-sounding Paul Meany, powered through several arena-ready epics in an hour-long set. This jam band with electro-fuzz edges has been charging through the music world this year, using Myspace and Purevolume video blogging to build up its audience. A few months ago, Mute Math was at the Crocodile, last night it pulled in a big crowd at the much larger Showbox.
***No wonder Warner Bros. Records recently snapped it up, and is re-releasing a debut CD next week.
****Nice guys, too -- Meany and King hung out after the show, chatting with fans and posing for cellphone photos.
***Check them at www.myspace.com/mutemath or purevolume.com/mutemath.

Boston's NEMO music fest (Sept. 28-30, www.nemoboston.com) will have a Seattle flavoring, with local bands the Protocol and the Long Winters putting in appearances.
John Roderick's folk-flavored Long Winters have been getting some serious praise for "Putting the Days to Bed," put out by Barsuk Records.
Rolling Stone: "Mastermind John Roderick packs an endearing, nuanced indie-boy voice and a bucketload of bittersweet pop-rock melodies."
***Spin called it "addictive listening."
Singer-songwriter Roderick and company are doing heavy touring, in California and Texas (Austin City Limits Festival) this week, then New Orleans and Alabama on the way to the East Coast.
*** "I'm in love with a Myspace girl" Rob Leinbach sings on "Click," a song from the Protocol's coming album. The Protocol plays Fremont's High Dive this Friday night, then Pioneer Square's Fuel on Wednesday. Click them at myspace.com/theprotocol.
**Fuel is a fairly new spot on S. Washington between First and Second avenues; it's been hosting some pretty good rock and hip-hop shows. Myspace.com/fuelseattle.

The "Premier" sign was still out Tuesday night, but the Fenix is ready to take over that SODO club this weekend. After moving south from its longtime home in the Pioneer Square neighborhood, the first Fenix show happens Friday, with guitar man Robin Trower rocking 1700 S. First Ave. Tickets are a hearty $35 (www.ticketswest.com) to see Trower, a 61-year-old rock legend.
**The Fenix then has a "Girl4Girl" dance party (ladies only!) scheduled for Saturday night, and a pre-Seahawks game breakfast buffet Sunday morning. Visit www.fenixunderground.com for updates/more info

Death Cab for Cutie has announced a major fall tour, which will conclude with a hometown show Dec. 9 at KeyArena. The opening act will be Jenny lewis. Pre-sale tickets are on sale today on the band's website, www.deathcabforcutie.com
The band has also announced that it will be the musical guest Sept. 25 on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
Death Cab sp[end the summer on the road, including playing such significant festivals Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Roskilde and Spendour in the Grass.