While we await official word of a Police reunion, another favorite band seems poised to reunite. Word out of Australia is that Crowded House will reform and perform at the Coachella Valley Music Festival in April. Initially, that was where the Police were to resurface, with reports that the password for ticket presales was a not-too-coy "Roxanne." Now the rumors indicate that the Police will make their bow at the Grammys on Feb. 11 (with strong rumors that the band's festival of choice is now Bonnaroo), leaving Coachella as the reunion headquarters for other groups. In addition to Crowded House, Rage Against the Machine, the Jesus & Mary Chain and the Happy Mondays all plan to reform for the festival, and there may be more.

As for Crowded House, the timing makes sense. The 10th anniversary edition of its farewell concert, Farewell to the World, was released this winter on DVD and CD, meaning interest in the band is as high as it has been in, well, a decade. Neil Finn has a new solo album due in March that features bass playing by Crowded House's Nick Seymour. The bittersweetness of all of this is that drummer Paul Hester cannot rejoin his mates, having commited suicide two years ago. According to Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper, Finn and Seymour are auditioning drummers. No word on whether latter-day keyboardist Mark Hart will be a part of the reunited group.

Labels: Crowded House, music, the Police