When I was in Air Force Basic Training, we didn't have much contact with the outside world. After graduation, however, we were allowed to once again enjoy the luxuries of watching television and listening to music. The day after we graduated, a guy in my flight was wearing his headphones and offered me a listen. When he pushed play, I heard the most sugary, energetic song the world has ever known. It was "Wannabe" by the The Spice Girls. Little did I know what a phenom they'd become.
You can laugh all you want, but I'm not ashamed to admit I bought both of their albums and even saw Spiceworld in the theatre (which wasn't THAT bad). They came through Vegas in '99, but it was after Geri split from the group, and it just wasn't the same. So a few weeks ago, when they announced their reunion tour and Tanya asked if I was interested, she was met with a resounding "YES!"
The show was Sunday night, the second of three sold-out shows in Vegas. Also in attendance were Posh's husband David Beckham, Tom Cruise, and Katie Holmes. There was no opening act, and even though the show started an hour late, nobody seemed to care. As soon as the lights went out, the crowd went wild. Suddenly, on the stage, there were those five ladies, looking almost doll-like. The music started pumping, and we all started dancing to the latin beat of "Spice Up Your Life." It was near impossible not to feel all tingly, especially when Scary shouted out, "People of the world!" and the crowd, hands in the air, responded, "Spice up your life!"
It was a very high production show. They sang all their hits, even the ones made famous without Geri. The middle section consisted mostly of each girl's solo work. Highlights included Mel B's S&M-induced cover of Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way?" and Geri's vamped up "It's Raining Men."
But by far, the best thing about the show was the overwhelming sense of pure fun. Every person in the audience was on their feet and dancing the whole time. And each Spice Girl was there to do whatever it took to keep it that way.
The encore was "Wannabe," because you know they're not leaving until they sing it. That was followed by a reprise of "Spice Up Your Life," which wasn't just a request to the crowd. It was a demand to the world.
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