Showing posts with label Spice Girls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spice Girls. Show all posts

Friday, June 29, 2012

Spice Girls, 2012-06-26 - NME, 'Girl power reigns' - 'Viva Forever' musical

http://www.nme.com/news/the-spice-girls/64546?recache?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fanpage-nmenews-spicegirls

June 26, 2012 15:43

Spice Girls: 'Girl power reigns'

The 90s girl band make first public appearance together since 2008 at the launch of the 'Viva Forever' musical
The Spice Girls: 'Girl power reigns'
Photo: PA
The Spice Girls reunited for the first time in four years today (June 26) at a press conference held to launch new musical, 'Viva Forever'.

The conference, which was held at the St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel where the group shot the music video for debut single 'Wannabe', saw the quintet speak about their involvement with the production, as well offer their thoughts on the band's lasting 'girl power' legacy.

When asked if she thought girl power was still alive today, Mel C replied "Absolutely, of course it is. It will never die. The biggest artists in the world today are women – Beyonce, Rihanna, Jessie J, Adele. Girl Power reigns." Geri Halliwell added:
"The musical is testimony that girl power has longevity. Who would have thought 16 years later that our songs and the message of them is still standing and still carries on, just in a different way. It's brilliant"

Mel C also also stated that "when we watched the workshops, each time the song ['Viva Forever'] started we got goosebumps. It brings back so many memories, so it's a lovely thing for us to see our songs performed each night in a theatre."

'Viva Forever' has been written by Absolutely Fabulous star Jennifer Saunders and tells the story of Viva – a wannabe performer who enters a talent contest – and her family. The show will feature a number of songs by the legendary girl group, including a mash-up of 'Mama' and 'Viva Forever', and is due to open at London’s Piccadilly Theatre on November 27.

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Spice Girls, 2008-01-08 - O2 Arena, London

Yesterday I was in London once again. this time to see the Spice Girls on the tour of 2007/2008. And it was an amazing show. The girls were really awsome. Very friendly ones to the others. I loved to see some of the solo songs specially the "I Turn To You" from Mel C.

Taken From: The Return of the Spice Girls in Wikipedia

Following is the full set list for the tour.

In comparison to previous tours, this tour is much more theatrical and encompassing. Previous tours saw the band members performing the hits in a seemingly random set list, with little focus on dancing, set and video material. This tour has a theme flowing throughout it, and it seems that songs are placed where they are in the set list for a reason, symbolising an event or mood. Set pieces are more heavily used, and the costumes are far more flamboyant and emphasised. I only wish Victoria Beckham could sang the "Live A Virgin" song complete.

The show opens with their signature song, Spice Up Your Life, before flowing through their biggest hits; it peaks with Who Do You Think You Are, when the members are wearing costumes which are all homages to their respective images. Geri wears an updated version of her iconic Union Jack dress, which completes the tribute of the performance to their performance at the Brit Awards 1997, which is seen by many to be the peak of 'Spicemania'. After this performance, the mood focuses on the girls' solo careers, with Victoria paying homage to her fashion career, and the rest performing the most known song they recorded, bar Mel B who performs a cover. Half way through the solo performances, the girls re-group to perform Viva Forever - the final song Geri performed with the group - and at the end of the song, Geri leaves the stage, obviously symbolising her leaving the group. The remaining four perform Holler, which after Geri returns and performs her solo.

After all the solos have been performed, the four girls return to perform Let Love Lead The Way, which is rumoured to have been written about Geri, after which Geri returns on stage, and the five walk down the catwalk holding hands, much to the applause of the audience. All five sing "Mama" and Goodbye, which however rumoured to have been written for Geri, was actually written by Geri among other members, before leaving the stage. The encore begins with If U Can't Dance, which has traditionally been the song the girls have opened with on previous tours, before finishing the show with Wannabe and a reprise of their opening song, Spice Up Your Life.

The girls have acknowledged that there is a theme running through the show, and that it is based on the history of the band.

1. Introduction
Act 1 - The Power of Five
2. "Spice Up Your Life"
3. "Stop"
4. "Say You'll Be There"
5. "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)"
Act 2 - Seduce Me
6. "The Lady Is A Vamp"
7. "Too Much" (jazz version)
8. "2 Become 1"
Act 3 - Bitter Sweet
9. "Who Do You Think You Are"
10. "Like A Virgin/Supermodel (You Better Work)" (Victoria Beckham solo catwalk)
11. "Are You Gonna Go My Way" (Melanie Brown solo)*
12. "Maybe" (Emma Bunton solo)*
13. "Viva Forever"
14. "Holler" (without Geri Halliwell)
15. "It's Raining Men" (Geri Halliwell solo)*
16. "I Turn To You" (Melanie Chisholm solo)*
Act 4 - Celebration
17. "Let Love Lead The Way" (without Geri Halliwell)*
18. "Mama"
19. Celebration Medley: "Celebration", "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "That's the Way (I Like It)", "We Are Family"
20. "Goodbye" (with Geri Halliwell)

Encore

1. "If U Can't Dance" (remix)
2. "Wannabe"
3. "Spice Up Your Life" (reprise)

* The solo songs are not full songs, but only the first verse, chorus, middle 8, chorus. Same thing applies with "Let Love Lead The Way".
* At the December 18th concert at London's O2 Arena, the group brought on all their children including Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz (all Victoria's sons), Phoenix Chi, Angel Iris (both Melanie B's daughters), and Beau (Emma's son) during the performance of 'Mama', with only Bluebell (Geri's daughter) missing.
* At the Las Vegas show, during the very last stop of their first North American Leg, Emma Bunton fell going up the stairs and hurt her ankle while performing "Spice Up Your Life". She made a full recovery afterwards.
* At the O2 on 02/01/08 Geri Halliwell confirmed that Mel B fell over on New Years Eve and twisted her ankle, so therefore would not be on top form dance wise that night.

The Spice Girls played for 1h42mn.