No Doubt turns up during Gwen Stefani's encore in Irvine

No Doubt turns up during Gwen Stefani's encore in Irvine

We already knew they were all in town and hanging out; Adrian Young had already told Rolling Stone the entire band was going to see the Police at Staples Center Wednesday night. By early evening Friday, after savvy insiders who apparently overheard some familiar tunes during Gwen Stefani's soundcheck had posted hopeful news on a key message board or two, the rumor of a surprise No Doubt reunion was out.

And a little before 11:30 p.m., as Gwen began her encore to the screaming delight of a capacity crowd, it had become a reality: No Doubt had returned to the stage.

The group - including smiling, clearly thrilled Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont and Adrian Young - performed just three songs ("Just a Girl," "It's My Life" and "Spiderwebs") to conclude Stefani's first of two shows at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater this weekend. But it was enough to suggest the intervening years while Gwen has risen to international solo-superstar status have not had any crippling effects on her home base. The band played as confidently as ever, with Gwen, back in fighting form and donning a blinged-up version of old-school No Doubt garb, leaping about the stage and resurrecting her tough-girl strut.

It was a great treat - one that people who split around 11ish, thinking Stefani was wrapping up, sadly missed. What's more, the insane reaction to No Doubt's sudden appearance suggests the band will be eagerly embraced whenever it properly returns, whether that's late 2008 (as some have speculated) or beyond.

The only downside to this ND spotlight? It was such a special moment, it somewhat overshadowed what was otherwise an unexpectedly solid and entertaining Stefani show. But I'll have more to say about that in my full review, which should be online by Sunday afternoon.