1. The biggest difference between the Spice Girls circa ’98 and this time around is that the power dynamic has clearly shifted. Where Baby and Ginger were once clearly the most popular members of the group, last night the loudest screams came anytime Posh and Scary stepped out in front. For that you can thank David Beckham, Perez Hilton and “Dancing With The Stars.”
2. Speaking of Emma Bunton, I’m happy to report that she’s long since left behind the pigtails and baby doll-dresses matched with white knee-socks and heels. The same cannot be said of many young women in the audience, who appeared to be wearing the same outfits last night that they wore in ’97 when the were kids and dressed up as Baby Spice for Halloween.
3. All things being equal, the Spice Girls put on a solidly entertaining, nearly two-hour show, though obviously the
emphasis was neither on the band (who spent the show divided between two inset pod-like platforms on either side of the stage) nor, especially, on the singing — Mel C, aka Sporty, still carries the bulk of the group’s vocal weight. I’d say the Roberto Cavalli costumes performed at least as well as any of the Girls.
4. A couple of other notes on Victoria Beckham: Her solo didn’t actually include much singing or dancing, just a lot of vamping along to “Covergirl.” Which seems fitting, since a.) bitch is fierce and b.) her dance moves have always seemed like just a series of poses, a far cry from Mel B’s bouncy, lustful style. Also? Posh’s breastices scare me.
5. After 10 years and a half-dozen childbirths, you’d expect the Spice Girls to look different than they did back when, and that’s true. They’re all in phenomenal shape for any age, though I won’t pretend not to be disappointed that Geri Halliwell seems to have lost her curves. That Pilates body doesn’t quite fill out the Union Jack slip dress as well as it used to.
TEXT BY AMY Z. QUINN