Neil Finn Plan All-Star Charity Concerts

Crowded House frontman Neil Finn is reuniting some old friends again, but this time for charity. In 2001, Finn put together an album and a series of New Zealand concerts with Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway, former Smiths/current Modest Mouse (and about 400 other projects) guitarist Johnny Marr, Soul Coughing bassist Sebastian Steinberg, violinist/songwriter Lisa Germano, Finn’s son Liam, and Eddie Vedder.

Crowded House frontman Neil Finn is reuniting some old friends again, but this time for charity. In 2001, Finn put together an album and a series of New Zealand concerts with Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway, former Smiths/current Modest Mouse (and about 400 other projects) guitarist Johnny Marr, Soul Coughing bassist Sebastian Steinberg, violinist/songwriter Lisa Germano, Finn’s son Liam, and Eddie Vedder. The project was called “Seven Worlds Collide” after a Crowded House lyric. Finn said, “The concerts were an amazing experience for all of us and we are delighted to have found an opportunity to gather again, this time to expand the concept and the line-up too.” This time around, all the proceeds will go to Oxfam, an international development organization working to end poverty and injustice. Finn has done benefit concerts for Oxfam in the past.

For the as-yet-untitled current incarnation, all of the previous participants are back except Vedder. Joining them will be Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, John Stirrat, Glen Kotche and Pat Sansone, singer/songwriter KT Tunstall, and New Zealand songwriters Bic Runga and Don McGlashan. The album will be recorded over the next few month in Auckland’s Roundhead studios. The concerts are expected to take place in New Zealand early next year, with more details forthcoming.