|
Spice Girls 'worth the wait'
03/12/2007 17:32 - (SA)
|
|
|
 |
|
| The Spice Girls Geri Halliwell , left, and Victoria Beckham perform at GM Place in Vancouver. (The Canadian Press, AP)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
London - It has been nine years
coming, but some early reviews of the Spice Girls' world
reunion tour that kicked off in Vancouver, Canada, on Sunday
said it was worth the wait.
"The solid gold Spice Girls," said London's Evening
Standard, a reference to golden outfits the "girl power"
quintet sported during the show, one of several costume changes
on the night.
The reviewer called the performance "ebullient pop music of
a very high standard, presented with panache, and highly
unlikely to provoke any attendance at the refund window."
Despite the sassy young singers who stormed the pop world
in the 1990s all now being in their 30s, four of them with
children, they had yet to pass their sell-by date.
"There seems no diminution in the energy they are prepared
to expend, or the lengths they will go to, to please the
audience."
The Vancouver Sun noted the crush for Spice Girls
merchandise, underlining the lasting appeal of Victoria "Posh
Spice" Beckham, Melanie "Sporty" Chisholm, Geri "Ginger"
Halliwell, Melanie "Scary" Brown and Emma "Baby" Bunton.
"Just as it was 10 years ago, the show wasn't about great
singing or dancing," wrote the reviewer.
'Embarrassing and lacklustre'
"But it was about
great entertainment. And the girls delivered the spice."
Not everyone was convinced.
London's free daily the Metro headlined its review: "Spice
Girls: Embarrassing and Lacklustre," although it conceded that
more than 15 000 fans attending the sold-out gig seemed to
enjoy the night nonetheless.
"While the hits were all received with enthusiasm, there
were definite lulls in the performance," said the review.
"New single Headlines was as lacklustre live as recorded,
and a Las Vegas-style cabaret sequence was as bewildering as it
was embarrassing."
It went on to describe the solo performances as "hit and
miss," adding that Beckham, who has faced criticism of her
vocal ability, uttered not a note during her spot in the
limelight.
The women took control of the group in 1994 and their debut
single Wannabe was a global hit in 1996.
But their success was short-lived, with Halliwell walking
out in 1998 and the remaining members going their separate ways
after releasing the album Forever in 2000.
The Spice Girls have sold an estimated 55 million albums
worldwide.
- Reuters
|
