Let it never be said that we at Vanity Fare cram only blue ribbon cheesecake into our cultural pieholes. We enjoy the high, the low, and sometimes, if large, goldfish-catching eyes are involved, we even have a soft spot for the middling. Not that there’s any confusion where on the spectrum this entry by loyal contributor, Allan, falls. Come on down to the ditch; we can dance under the glitter together.
No, not The Beatles – there’s only three of them left anyway. I mean that other famous singing quintet. You won’t find them in your spice rack but Scary, Ginger, Baby, Sporty, and Posh (oh that sweet, sexy Posh) have recently reformed in a second bid for world domination. Arriving in Toronto for four shows, the Spice Girls are back (oh yeah, they’re really, really back!) to spread their message of showing lots of cleavage and some good old Girl Pow-ah. Hi ci ya, hold tight!
Our tickets said 7:30 PM but no Girls were sighted by 8:30 PM. The crowd was getting antsy despite the best attempts by Britney and her ilk on the Air Canada Centre’s speaker system to soothe us. Finally, the lights went dark and the audience erupted in a thunderous roar. The giant video screens showed each of the Spices over the years as the screams became louder and louder. Then, like ascending Venuses, they rose above the stage on separate platforms. This was the first time all the Spices had ever sung together in this city and it was an impressive sight to behold. Years of nostalgia were distilled into The Power of Five now on stage.
Starting with their hit song “Spice Up Your Life”, the Girls were in their element and the crowd was right there with them singing along with the catchy lyrics. Yes, everyone was doing the “Stop” dance when it came time for that. They sang all their hit songs and then some. Highlights included the Girls (minus Ginger) leading their male dancers on leashes during “Holler”, a reprise of their now legendary Brit Awards performance of “Who Do You Think You Are” complete with Geri in a Union Jack mini-dress, and each Girl getting her own solo performance. Scary fearsomely brandished a bullwhip during her rendition of Lenny Kravitz’s “Are You Gonna Go My Way” while Ginger had the whole place jumping with her cover of “It’s Raining Men”. Posh’s “solo” consisted of strutting silently yet fiercely down the catwalk in a sexy dress complete with wind machines to the music of Madonna and Rupaul. Hey, she’s no Celine and she knows it. It was very campy, and very, very Posh. Tyra Banks would be proud.
But all good things must come to an end and the Spices finished their encore with a re-mixed version of “Spice Up Your Life” amid lasers, lights, and giant cannons spewing glitter throughout the ACC. Yes, giant cannons spewing glitter. To say the concert was over-the-top is a severe understatement. There’s your run of the mill over-the-top and then there’s giant cannons spewing glitter. AND IT WAS AWESOME!!!
-Allan
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