Produced by AEG Live, The Spice Girls each received 10 Million Pounds to bring back their "Girl Power" that hasn’t been seen live for almost a decade! The UK’s biggest selling act since the Beatles stormed Vancouver with a parade of International Press following them. General Motors Place was chosen to be the first stop on their Reunion World Tour. They held rehearsals and press conferences the whole weekend as GM Place became a beehive and feeding frenzy of paparazzi!
Combining their old hits, a few covers and the stunning stage, laser and video presentation, the Spice Girls were more than worth the price of admission! (Free for me :P) The Main stage was connected to a secondary outer stage by way of a catwalk that gave the arena the look of a major fashion show. The video screens behind the stage moved in all directions, sometimes in different patterns and at other times in unison. The Lasers complimented the incredible HD displays in yet another very well produced and creative combination of technology, sound, choreography and star power. The transitions between songs were crisp and up tempo. A lot of their music was remixed and timed brilliantly with the laser, light and co2 blasts from the edges of the main stage.
This event certainly lived up to the global hype that had saturated the media leading up to the beginning of the tour. AEG produced yet another feast for the eyes that would appeal to anyone from anywhere! (I think I will have to track down the producers and interview them on a future issue of The Highlight Reel) I learned a lot watching the technical crew working behind the scenes. A concert this size is a mammoth project that requires the focus and dedication of many people. It really is interesting seeing how everything runs like clockwork. These people are incredible and it's largely because of them that so many people get to experience great acts like the Spice Girls. If they mess up, then tens of thousands of people are going to notice! The pressure keeps them alert, when things go wrong, they have to be fixed right away!
I was lucky enough to meet "Becks" and the kids, Avril Lavigne, and all kinds of broadcasters from Europe and all over North America. I was interviewed by a few networks and had a great time after the show with some of the broadcasters that I met. Here is a photos from someone who knows someone who was sitting right in front of the boardroom suite he was in with his family and AEG Live Brass.
The SPICE Girls Reunion continued on to San Jose, LA and Las Vegas, Cologne, and Madrid before taking over the O2 complex in London for three weeks. Then in late January 2008 they go back to North America for a second leg before travelling to Australia and most of Asia.
Song list:
Act 1- The Power Of 5 (Intro), Spice Up Your Life, Stop Say You'll Be There, Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)
Act 2- Seduce Me, Lady Is A Vamp, Too Much 2 Become 1
Act 3-Who Do You Think You Are (ft Victoria), Are You Gonna Go My Way (ft Mel B), Maybe (ft Emma), Viva Forever, Holler, It's Raining Men (ft Geri), I Turn To You (ft Melanie C)
Act 4-Let Love Lead The Way, Mama, Celebration Medley, Goodbye, Encore If You Can't Dance,Wannabe, Spice Up Your Life (Reprise)
My favorite moment of the evening was when I was break relief for a host at the side of the stage. Emma (Baby) was right in front of me belting out a note and she looked right at me for like 5 seconds! (It felt like a minute) I gazed right into her eyes and was really in awe because she is one of the best singers in the group and pretty hot! There was the spotlight, her, me, and 16,000 screaming fans in the background! This moment is right up there with the time that Beyonce Knowles smiled...and sang directly to me at me back in September!
Photos Courtesy of: Anita B, AP, Canadian Press.
