And the Bands Played On

June 8, 2007 — -- This summer is not just the season of movie sequels, it's also a time for musical second acts. Huge bands from decades past are dusting off their guitars and vocal chords, heading out on the road and proving that the AARP set can still rock out. Here's a look at five of the biggest musical reunions this year:

Message in a Bottle: The Police Are Back

To the delight of anyone over the age of 30, legendary rock trio The Police (Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland and Sting) has reunited for their first world tour in more than two decades.

In 1983 the three-man group was arguably the most popular rock and roll band on earth following the release of their multi-platinum album "Synchronicity." Only a year later, however, in-fighting caused the band's break up; an aborted 1986 reunion failed for the same reasons. After sharing the stage at this past February's Grammy Awards for the first time in twenty-three years, the Police announced a formal reunion, and later, their tour.

Over the course of the summer, the band will play more than forty stadium and arena shows in North America in addition to high-profile headliner gigs at the Bonnaroo Music Festival and the Virgin Festival. High-energy band Fiction Plane will be opening throughout the tour.

www.sting.com

Take Me Home: The Genesis of Genesis 2.0

Lest the Police be the only trio of grey hairs reuiniting this summer, Genesis is together again following a fifteen-year hiatus.

After trudging through an ever-changing lineup of interchangable band members, Genesis hit its stride in the late 70s with the addition of Phil Collins as vocalist and drummer. In the late 80s Collins began pulling double-duty, launching a solo career while still staying with the band. But after Collins' solo projects -- which have included projects as diverse as writing Broadway songbooks and teaming with hip-hop group Bone Thugz-N-Harmony -- began to take off in earnest, the group fell apart.