Official dates set for Spice Girls reunion
By Damara Popoola
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today ) 6/29/07 – Girl Power is back again. The Spice Girls finally confirmed rumors Thursday by announcing they will reunite for 11 concerts in December and January. This will be the first time the five pop stars will share the stage since they officially disbanded in 2001.
“I think for us it was about celebrating the past, enjoying each other and it’s about our fans. It was kind of now or never,” Geri “Ginger Spice” Halliwell said to reporters in a press conference at London’s O2 Arena.
Halliwell left the group in 1998, citing creative differences, but apparently all past disputes have been forgotten. Even Melanie “Sporty Spice” Chisholm, who earlier this year decried the idea of a reunion, had a change of heart.
“A girl is allowed to change her mind and also this is something that we have only seriously started this year really,” Chisholm said at the press conference. She continued, “I think really all of us have had our fears and doubts but we feel that the time is right.”
While no venues have been selected, all 11 dates for the reunion tour have been selected with stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, and a handful of other cities worldwide. Given the number of shows taking place, tickets will be distributed via lottery, according to the Spice Girls site, with fans being selected at random for the opportunity to purchase tickets.
Those who question the demand for the ‘90s girl group do well to recall the frenzy that was the Spice Girls circa 1996. That year, the combination of the personable Halliwell, Chisholm, Melanie “Scary Spice” Brown, Emma “Baby Spice” Bunton, and Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham coupled with their catchy hooks, pushed their first single “Wannabe” quickly to the top of the charts.
The group sold over 55 million albums worldwide and even starred in their own feature film “Spice World.” Though their last album “Forever” – sans Halliwell – did poorly commercially, this winter’s tour is sure to sell out quickly.
All five girls are thirty-somethings now, more world-weary now and with families, but they don’t see their collective maturity as an issue. “We are girl power,” said Halliwell. “It doesn’t matter how old you are, 5 or 65.”
The 11 shows will be in Los Angeles on Dec. 7, Las Vegas on Dec. 8 , New York on Dec. 11, London on Dec. 15, Cologne on Dec. 20, Madrid on Dec. 23, Beijing on Jan. 10, Hong Kong on Jan. 12, Sydney on Jan. 17, Cape Town on Jan. 20 and Buenos Aires on Jan. 24.