Girl power was back on the map with a bang last night (Sunday), as the Spice Girls prepared to kick start their world tour.
Thousands of fans were eagerly awaiting the girl group’s make or break performance, in front of a sell out crowd in Vancouver, Canada.
Vancouver, nicknamed Hollywood North for its growing film production industry, may not have been on the Spice Girls’ list of first choice cities, but the atmosphere surrounding the gig was electric nevertheless.
For many die hard fans this is not just a concert, but a pilgrimage – a once in a lifetime opportunity – that has had them counting down the days to the show. “I think I’ll either cry or have a heart attack,” gasped 19-year-old Michael Generoux, who is flying from Edmonton to see the gig. “This is like a once in a lifetime thing,” he told the Vancouver Globe and Mail.
Hotels in Vancouver were more booked up than normal, with concert-goers traveling from far and wide to see their 90s idols.
Even customs officials at Vancouver Airport were overheard chatting about the show, and wondering whether Geri Halliwell would have to pull out to be with her chicken pox-riddled daughter. But it was simply down to business for the Spice Girls themselves, best known by their nicknames Posh, Ginger, Scary, Baby and Sporty.
The sassy quintet, who arrived in Vancouver last week, have been putting the huge hype to one side and rehearsing their routines every day, hoping for a flawless first-night performance. Their final rehearsal on Saturday night was by no means perfect, with the Spice Girls clearly tired and finding it hard to perform for an imaginary crowd.
Dressed in co-coordinating copper outfits, the girl group rose from beneath the stage on individual platforms, for opening number ‘Spice Up Your Life’.
Predictably, it was Victoria who stood out the most, in a tight breast-popping dress and metallic leggings, with Mel B a close second in a giraffe-print catsuit. Emma and Geri looked svelte and glam in mini-dresses, while Mel C – as always – seemed a little out of place in her trousers and jacket.
Geri gave it her all, even participating in an awkward mid-song hug with Victoria Beckham amidst rumours of a rift. Mel B appeared eager to please, while Emma and Mel C looked in need of a good night’s sleep.
Two of Victoria’s sons, Brooklyn and Romeo, watched from thee wings, with their Mum posing for a picture with them before rehearsals got underway. Huge hits ‘Stop’ and ‘Say You’ll Be There’ followed the opening number, before the group performed new song ‘Headlines’.
The Spice Girls have sold more than 750,000 tickets for their 40-date world tour, with speculation that more dates could still be added. Each band member is expected to make an incredible £10 million from the tour and spin-off ventures, including advertising and record releases.
Recent demand for their music, however, has been lackluster, with recent charity single ‘Headlines’ selling only a few thousand copies in its first week and their Greatest Hits album failing to make UK number one.
The Spice Girls’ management, 19 Entertainment, are sparing no expense on the highly-anticipated tour. The agency, owned by American Idol creator Simon Fuller, has hired top stylists, choreographers and designers to prepare the girl group for their travels around the globe.
The leopard print leggings, union jack dresses and Adidas tracksuits of the 90s have been pushed aside for elegant, contemporary high fashion pieces designed by Roberto Cavalli. And the band are touring the world in a Virgin Atlantic 747 jet, and running an online competition for fans to choose the name of the plane.
The Spice Girls – Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton and Melanie Chisholm – formed in 1994 after they each responded to an advertisement for a girl band. Debut single ‘Wannabe’ was a global hit in 1996, while first album ‘Spice’ stormed the charts in numerous countries.
The Spice Girls became one of the biggest bands of the 1990s, selling a staggering 55 million albums worldwide and working their self-assertive style and street fashion. But their success was short-lived when Geri “Ginger” Halliwell walked out on the group in 1998, just four years after it was formed.
Posh, Scary, Sporty and Baby eventually went their separate ways after releasing the album ‘Forever’ in 2000. After the break-up, all five Spice Girls embarked on solo careers, with varying degrees of success.
Posh has maintained the highest profile, helped along by her superstar football playing husband David Beckham and A-list celebrity pals including Tom Cruise and Jennifer Lopez.
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