6 Need-to-Know Moments From the Spice Girls’s First Reunion Show
Spice up your life! This weekend, the Spice Girls kicked off their European tour in Dublin, Ireland. The iconic ’90s pop group—who broke up in 2000, but reunited in 2007 for a global tour, and again in 2012 for the London Olympics—are back once again (albeit sans Posh Spice AKA Victoria Beckham, who is focusing on her ready-to-wear label). A few days before the tour, however, Beckham did wish her band mates—Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown, and Melanie Chisholm—good luck on Instagram.
The short tour, which has already broken records, will extend throughout the summer. Below, see all the highlights from the kick-off show.
Sound Issues
Fans were left disappointed after the stadium at Croke Park in Dublin experienced sound issues during the concert. (Many claimed song songs were nearly indistinguishable from one another, while others claimed at times they couldn’t hear anything at all.) Brown addressed the audio issues on Instagram, writing, “Thank you for attending our show tonight in Dublin. We will see you in Cardiff and hopefully the vocals and sound will be much, much better… Pfft.”
The Set List
So what did the group perform for those who could hear? Of course, all their biggest hits were churned out throughout the set: their smash hit “Spice Up Your Life” opened the show, while “Wannabe,” a fan favorite, closed it. Other hits performed included “Stop,” “Holler,” “Do It,” and “Who Do You Think You Are?” A deep cut, "Lavy Is a Vamp," made the list. They also did a cover of “We Are Family.”
A Focus on Inclusivity
The group opened the show with an inclusive statement for fans, saying, “We welcome all ages, all races, all gender identifies, all countries of origin, all sexual orientations, all religions and beliefs, all abilities.” Halliwell also added: “Like a king or a queen, we celebrate you. But I’ve got to say, there are a lot of queens here tonight.”
Cheeky Costumes
The outfits were an integral part of the show. Most noteworthy was Halliwell’s ensemble: She wore an evolved design of her famed Union Jack dress, originally worn at the ’97 BRIT Awards. This new take, designed by Gabriella Spade, was a gown silhouette that mimicked the colors and lines of the British flag. It was also embroidered with symbolic imagery that nodded to her fellow Spice-mates: a lion “for the courage of Ginger,” a lily “for the elegance of Posh,” a panther “for the strength of Sporty,” among others. Meanwhile, Sporty Spice wore iterations of leopard print, her signature, while Sporty wore a a sequin-covered version of her famed track suits.
Filling the Posh Gap
How did the Spice Girls fill the Posh void? Unfortunately for fans, there were no video cameos from Beckham herself, or something of the like. However, Halliwell did seem to take on her duties. The Daily Mail reports she picked up the slack by singing most of Beckham’s parts in their songs.
Very Different After-Parties
Finally, how did the group celebrate post-show? Halliwell and Bunton kept quiet—but the two Melanies had two very different after-parties. Brown reportedly took to partying after the performance, demanding “shots right now” in a video posted by one of her dancers, while Chisohlm recovered with an at-home ice bath, to ease her joints. “Being Sporty Spice is a lot of maintenance,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’m quite stiff after our first show last night in Dublin.”
Originally Appeared on Vogue
