Status Quo Newcastle Arena 6th December 1998
It had been five or more years since I had last seen the mighty Status Quo. I has lost some of my faith in the band, largely as a result of some substandard releases, which saw the band recording covers of some old rock’n’roll classics. But I couldn’t go on too long without seeing the band. So when I saw that they were playing Newcastle Arena on 6th December 1998, I persuaded a mate to come along with me to see them again. Support came from T’Pau. As soon as I heard the first few bars of “Down, Down” I was back in the Quo zone again. I remembered how great this band were, and why I had been to see them so many times. 
This show at Newcastle renewed my faith in Status Quo, and got me back into them again. Having said that work, and family commitments meant that I missed the next few tours, and I didn’t see them again until 2002, which I will write about tomorrow.
Setlist: Down down, Hold You Back, Backwater, One man band,Softer Ride, The Wanderer, Living on an Island, Dirty Water, Gerdundula, Roll over lay Down, In the Army Now, Whatever you Want, Mystery Medley, Caroline, Rain, Burning Bridges, Anniversary Waltz.
Posts Tagged ‘pop’
27 May
Status Quo Newcastle Arena 6th December 1998
25 May
Live Aid Wembley Stadium 13th July 1985
Live Aid Wembley Stadium 13th July 1985
I went with a couple of mates. We missed out on tickets when they went on sale and the only way we could get there was to buy tickets for a coach trip from Middlesbrough. So we were up at 4am, drove to Middlesbrough and joined a coach which left at 5am for London. We arrived well before noon, had a couple of drinks and entered the stadium, which was of course completely packed so we found a spot in the stands right at the back. A few minutes later Status Quo took to the stage with “Rockin’ All Over The World” and the day started. This was Quo reunited one year after the split, with Alan flying over from Oz to join Francis and Rick. Their short set also featured Caroline” and “Don’t Waste My Time”. A fitting start to the day. I have so many great memories of that day.
Queen’s performance is, of course, often rated as the greatest live performance by any band. Freddie certainly commanded the crowd the day and it propelled them to super stardom. Their well planned set was a medley with short sections of their anthems: “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Radio Ga Ga”, “Hammer To Fall”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, “We Will Rock You” and “We Are The Champions”. They had apparently been rehearsing their short set for days, to ensure perfection, and it showed, and worked. U2 weren’t far behind them, though, in terms of performance, with Bono showing how great a front man he was. U2 played two songs: “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and a lengthy version of “Bad” during which Bono dragged a girl from the rush down front to dance with him on stage, and which also included snippets from Lou Reed’s “Satellite of love” and “Walk On The Wild Side”, and The Stones’ “Ruby Tuesday” and “Sympathy for the Devil”. Electric.
For me, however. the highlights were The Who and David Bowie, as I was, and remain, a big fan of both acts. Bowie started with “TVC15” (a strange and poor choice I felt, and remember being disappointed on the day), “Rebel Rebel” (great, good choice), “Modern Love” (well, ok) and then “Heroes” (we all sag along and it was pure magic). I still feel that with a better choice of songs Bowie could have eclipsed Queen and U2.
The Who performed “My Generation”, “Pinball Wizard”, “Love Reign O’er Me” (another strange song choice given the magnitude of the event) and a blistering “Won’t Get Fooled Again” with much mike swinging by Daltrey and lots of arm twirling by Townshend.
Other memories: Elton and Kiki sang “Don’t go Breaking my Heart” (great!). Paul McCartney suffered from sound problems and we couldn’t hear him at all for much of “Let It Be” although I gather it was fine on TV. Geldof drew massive cheers every time he set foot on stage, and he deserved every one of them. The scheduling worked amazingly, with very few hitches. Seeing the cameras pick out Charles and Diana over in their enclosure. The amazingly camp Bowie and Jagger video. The awful, sad and moving video of starving children played to the Cars’ “Drive”. Phil Collins playing Wembley and JFK courtesy of Concorde (show off).
But the truly unforgettable moment came at the end, and will stay in my mind for ever. That was the finale, with the entire stadium singing along to “Do They Know It’s Christmas ?” with Bob Geldof leading us, and everyone else on stage. I’ve never seen, felt, or heard anything like it before or since. We walked out of that stadium to the coach park, all of us still singing…..”Feed The World”…..
Then it was a long coach ride back to Middlesbrough. We arrived back around 5 or 6am, then drove home. 24 hours with hardly any sleep, just an hour or so caught on the bus, but a day I will remember forever.
Line-up: Status Quo; The Style Council; The Boomtown Rats; Adam Ant; Ultravox; Spandau Ballet; Elvis Costello; Nik Kershaw; Sade; Sting; Phil Collins; Howard Jones; Bryan Ferry (with David Gilmour on guitar); Paul Young/Alison Moyet; U2; Dire Straits/Sting; Queen; Video “Dancing in the Streets” by David Bowie/Mick Jagger; David Bowie; The Who; Elton John (Kiki Dee and George Michael join Elton); Mercury and May; Paul McCartney; Finale
24 May
End of the Road Newcastle City Hall 10th June 1984
End of the Road Newcastle City Hall 10th June 1984
End of the Road! What! This was a big shock at the time. The plan, as announced by the band was that they were going to retire from touring, and possibly continue to record now and then. But Quo being Quo, they had to go out in style, finishing off with a tour consisting of 69 shows, including 7 nights at Hammersmith Odeon. The tour called at the City Hall for two nights, and I went along on the second night. We should, of course, have realised then that this wasn’t really going to be the end. A band who had played as constantly and consistently as Status Quo would find it difficult to just stop.
The show I attended was a celebration of a great band and some great times. This was the 16th time I saw Status Quo, and it wasn’t to be the last either 🙂 Behind the scenes there were irreconcilable differences between Alan Lancaster and Francis Rossi. Alan saw Quo as a hard rock boogie machine and was getting increasingly frustrated with Rossi’s insistence on moving the band closer to the middle of the road, as he saw it, with the single Marguerita Time being the final straw. Alan moved to Australia and law suits followed. However a certain Bob Geldof persuaded the guys to get back together one more time and only one year later and I was standing in Wembley Stadium watching them open Live Aid. I will write about that great day tomorrow.
Setlist: Caroline, Paper Plane, Roll over lay down, Backwater, Just take me, Little Lady, Don’t drive my Car, Whatever You Want, Mystery Medley, Hold You Back, Rockin’all over the World, Over the Edge, Dirty Water, 4500 Times, Big Fat Mama, Don’t waste my Time, Roadhouse Blues, What you’re Proposing, Rain, Down Down, Bye Bye Johnny.
22 May
Monsters of Rock Donington Status Quo 21st August 1982
Monsters of Rock Donington Status Quo 21st August 1982
Line-up: Status Quo, Gillan, Saxon, Hawkwind, Uriah Heep and Anvil
This was the third Monsters of Rock festival, and the second time I went to the event. I drove down with my mate Dave, and we had a great time. It was a strong line-up of hard rock bands with Status Quo topping the bill, and a clutch of great support acts in Gillan, Saxon, Hawkwind, Uriah Heep and Anvil. Tommy Vance was DJ and compere for the day. Highlights for me were Hawkwind, Uriah Heep and Quo. Saxon were quite successful at the time and represented the NWOBHM, and Gillan seemed to gig constantly during that period, and was always good fun, playing a few Purple classics alongside his own material.
Uriah Heep were fronted by new(ish) singer Pete Goalby, alongside long time Heepsters Mick Box, and Lee Kerslake. Their set included classic tracks like Stealin’, The Wizard, July Morning, Gypsy and Easy Livin’. It seemed strange to me to see them so low down on the bill. Both Heep and Hawkwind would have had headline status a few years earlier. Hawkwind’s set feautured Brainstorm, Angels of Death, Urban Guerilla, Psychedelic Warlords, and of course Silver Machine and Master Of the Universe. Their ever-changing line-up at this time included Dave Brock, Huw Lloyd Langton, Harvey Bainbridge and Nik Turner. Both great bands. But the day rightly belonged to Quo, who were worthy headliners. We pushed our way right down the front for their set. This show is often rated as not one of Quo’s best, but I enjoyed seeing them headlining a festival again, and thought they were pretty good. There were some problems with the sounds, with some parts of the crowd reporting that they couldn’t hear Quo very well, but I think this depended on where you were placed in the field. This was the first time I saw the band with Pete Kircher who replaced John Coughlan on drums. Quo were celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band.
Status Quo setlist: Caroline; Roll Over Lay Down; Backwater; Little Lady; Don´t Drive My Car; Whatever You Want; Hold You Back; Rockin All Over The World; Over The Edge; What You´re Proposing; Dirty Water; 4500 Times; Big Fat Mama; Don´t Waste My Time; Roadhouse Blues; Rain; Down Down; Bye Bye Johnny.
18 May
Status Quo live in 1975 and 1976
Status Quo live in 1975 and 1976
1975 and 1976 were busy years for Status Quo. This wasn’t unusual, however, the work ethic of this band is outstanding; they just keep on playing. They hit the UK singles chart four times: with a live EP which featured “Roll Over Lay Down”, “Gerdundula” and “Junior’s Wailing”, then with one of my personal favourites “Rain”, then “Mystery Song” and “Wild Side of Life”. I saw the band twice at Newcastle City Hall; on 12th May 1975 and again on 9th March 1976.
From the 1975 tour programme: “”To begin with in 1971 we played for a tenner or a fiver just to keep going and retain the right to play things our way” says Richard Parfitt. “We knew it was the only way to build a future for ourselves and a reputation we could live with”. After a decade as rock musicians the Quo now have the respect and approval of a massive following who have put their seal on a band who can truly said to have succeeded by “Public Demand”. The swaying thousands who form massed choirs and wave their scarves at a Quo concert to sing “You’ll Never Walk Alone”…have turned the Quo into unsuperstars of the Seventies…When the critics eventually put their group hierarchy into perspective in later years it will almost inevitably be those groups who kept to basics like the Stones, the Who and Quo who will be remembered as being the heart of this Generation’s music….Quo believe in what they are doing and millions ll over the work have come to believe they are “On the Level” too.”
Support for the 1975 tour was the excellent Pretty Things, who were a big favourite of mine at the time. They had just released the “Silk Torpedo” album which saw them entering a glam / heavy rock phase. Its opening song “Joey / The Dream” is just great. Front man Phil May was as energetic as ever, the rest of the line-up had changed quite a bit since the first times I saw them in the early 70s. Quo released two albums” “On the Level” and “Blue for You”, both of which were respectable slabs of rock, although not as heavy as the “QUO” album. Andy Bown joined the band as a permanent member on keyboards. Support for the 1976 tour was Shanghai, a new band fronted by 60s rocker Cliff Bennett of the Rebel Rousers fame. These were, as always, great gigs.
Status Quo also recorded two shows at Glasgow Apollo in 1976, and released them as a live album, called simply “Live”. The record is one of the few that manages to capture the excitement and rawness of a band at the height of their powers, and documents just how great Quo live were in those days. That it was recorded at the Apollo was entirely appropriate; the great venue had, along with Hammy Odeon and Brid Spa, become a second home for the band. The Glasgow crowds really knew how to rock and got fully behind Quo. On the other side of the coin, if a Glasgow crowd didn’t like a band, they would let them know. The “Live” album was the blueprint for the recent classic frantic four line-up reunion.
Typical setlist of the period: Junior’s Wailing, Mad about the Boy, Backwater / Just take me, Is there a better Way, Little Lady / Most of the Time, 4500 Times, Rain, Roll over lay Down, Don’t waste my Time, Roadhouse Blues, Caroline, Bye Bye Johnny.
It was 1978 before I saw Quo again, when they returned to the Reading festival as triumphant headliners. I’ll write about that weekend of rock tomorrow.
16 May
Status Quo Newcastle City Hall 24th September 1973 Hello!
Status Quo Newcastle City Hall 24th September 1973 Hello!
I was rapidly becoming a big Status Quo fan. I’d bought “Piledriver”, played it endlessly and was trying to learn the riffs to “Paper Plane”, “Big Fat Mama”, and “Don’t Waste My Time”. In September 1973 Quo released their 6th album “Hello!” which consolidated their success and went to No 1 in the UK chart. “Hello!” was the first of four Quo albums to top the UK Albums Chart, and the first album on which the group wrote all the songs (along with Bob Young the group’s roadie and harmonica player). Keyboard player Andy Bown played on “Forty-Five Hundred Times”. This was Andy’s first appearance on a Status Quo album, and he was of course soon to become a permanent member of the band. They hit the singles chart twice between “Piledriver” and “Hello”; first with “Mean Girl” which was an old song released by their previous label Pye, and reached No 20, and then with their trademark song “Caroline” which also appeared on “Hello!” and reached #5. This was the group’s first single to reach the UK top five. The relentless gigging continued (as it always has, and does to this day) and in September Status Quo went out on tour yet again to promote “Hello”. I saw them at Newcastle City Hall on 24th September 1973. This was the 8th time I had seen Status Quo within a couple of years. The concert was, as always, a triumph or rock and boogie, with Francis Rossi cracking on with us all as if we were his best mates. Quo were like that, just ordinary lads playing straightforward, no nonsense rock’n’roll. No airs and graces, no deep meaning to the songs. We all respected that, and just “got it” immediately and completely. 
The relentless touring up and down the country, with the gaps between tours of the city halls filled with club and festival appearances, the attitude, the approach, the authenticity, all forged a bond between Status Quo and the fans and created a loyalty that is, for many, still there to this day. Mick Rossi quietly became Francis Rossi some time in 1973. The Spring (Piledriver) programme lists him as “Mick”, while in the Autumn (Hello!) programme he is “Francis”. Support for the tour was the excellent blues band Savoy Brown, fronted by KIm Simmonds on guitar (who remains with the band to this day), and at the time, featuring the great Jackie Lynton on vocals. Jackie has a long association with Quo. His own band, the Jackie Lynton band, supported them on tour a couple of years later, and he used to announce them, his being the famous voice that says “Is there anybody out there that wants to rock? Tonight..Live..We have the No 1 rock’n’roll band in the land..Will you welcome the magnificent Status Quo!…” (cue Juniors Wailing) at the start of the Live album, recorded at Glasgow Apollo.
Typical setlist of the period: Junior’s Wailing, Someones Learning, In My Chair, Claudie, Roll over lay Down, Big Fat Mama, Railroad, Don’t waste my time, Caroline, Roadhouse Blues, Mean Girl, Bye Bye Johnny.
13 May
Cat Stevens Newcastle Odeon 21st March 1974
Cat Stevens Newcastle Odeon 21st March 1974
I only saw Cat Stevens once in concert, although Laura and I have seen him more recently, since he has become Yusuf Islam. The concert was in 1974 at the massive Newcastle Odeon. Stevens was promoting his latest album at the time, Buddha and the Chocolate Box. Interestingly, the title of Buddha and the Chocolate Box “came to Stevens when he was travelling to a gig on a plane with a Buddha in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other. He pondered that if he were to die in the plane these would be the last objects with him, and he would be caught between the spiritual and the material. The album leans towards the spiritual path, and is an indication of the direction his life would follow” (Wikipedia).
Cat Steven’s band at the time consisted of Jean Roussell on keyboards, Alun Davies on acoustic guitar, Gerry Conway on drums, Bruce Lynch bass and Larry Steele on congas and electric guitar, with Suzanne Lynch and Anna Peacock on backing vocals. Support came from Linda Lewis whose band was Max Middleton on piano, Robert Ahwai on bass and Linda’s husband Jim Cregan on lead guitar.
It was a great concert, with Cat Stevens singing all those sweet songs so beautifully. The set consists of his early 70s classic songs, and new tracks from Buddha and the Chocolate Box. Based on concert recordings from the time the set is likely to have been something like: Wild World; Longer Boats; Oh Very Young; Sitting; Sunny Side; Where Do The Children Play; Moonshadow; How Can I Tell You; Bad Penny; Later; Lady D’Arbanville; Peace Train; Father And Son; Music; 18th Avenue; Bitterblue; Hard Headed Woman; King Of Trees; Sun / C79; Sad Lisa.
I also like Cat Stevens’ 60s songs and would love to see him perform Matthew And Son or Here Comes My Baby. The guy is a genius songwriter.
12 May
Small Faces Newcastle City Hall 19th April & 17th September 1977
Small Faces Newcastle City Hall 19th April & 17th September 1977
Small Faces are one of the most important bands ever. As well as being central to the mod movement they also produced some of the best 60s pop in Lazy Sunday and Itchycoo Park, pioneered blues-rock and presented a blue-print that Zeppelin would model themselves on (listen to You Need Loving from their 1966 album) and experimented with mixing soul/blues/pop with psych on Tin Soldier and the wonderful Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake album. I have written before about how I believe that Steve Marriott was one of our greatest ever singers and performers. The more I watch old videos of Marriott in Small Faces and Humble Pie, the more I realise just how sensational and unique he was.
I never got to see Small Faces in the 60s, they split up before I got into concert going. I did see Humble Pie several times, and was always totally blown away by Steve Marriott’s soul, emotion and power. So when Small Faces reunited after the Faces broke up in 1975, I was totally up for seeing them. The guys first reformed briefly to film videos miming to the reissued “Itchycoo Park” which hit the charts again. Ronnie Lane left after the first rehearsal due to an argument. 
Although the others didn’t know he was already unwell and was beginning to display the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. McLagan, Jones and Marriott decided to stay together as Small Faces, recruiting ex- Roxy Music bassist Rick Wills to take Lane’s place. As well as touring they also recorded two albums: Playmates (1977) and 78 In The Shade (1978) neither of which were very successful.
The Small Faces played at Newcastle City Hall twice in 1977; in April and September. The first show was pretty full, perhaps even sold-out, but the second gig was quite poorly attended. Perhaps it was just too soon after the first (there was after all only 5 months between the two gigs). I was near the back for the first concert and right down the front for the second gig. They were supported by cockney punks Cock Sparrer at the first concert. Cock Sparrer would go on to pioneer the skinhead Oi movement. I remember thinking that they were incredibly raw, very like the Jam and old Small Faces. Ace young guitarist Jimmy McCulloch also briefly joined Small Faces after leaving Wings, and was with them at the second of the City Hall gigs. I think old mate P P Arnold was also with them, providing backing vocals. Blue (fronted by ex-Marmalade Hughie Nicholson) were support at the September concert. Unfortunately for Small Faces, music in Britain was rapidly changing and punk rock was becoming firmly established. 
The reunion concerts and the albums didn’t result in the success and adoration that, in my view, they should have. At the time, this reunion wasn’t recognised for what it was, another chance to experience one of our greatest ever bands and one of our greatest ever front men. The time just wasn’t right for this reunion and Small Faces broke up again in 1978. For me, it was amazing to see Small Faces live at the City Hall. The shows were incredible, and I simply marveled at actually seeing Marriott perform Tin Soldier and All or Nothing, both of which remain two of my all time favourites. Their like will never be seen again.
The set for the concerts consisted of old faves and a few new songs including: Whatcha Gonna Do About It; Everybody Needs Somebody to Love; High and Happy; All or Nothing; Find It; Itchycoo Park; Smiling in Tune; Tin Soldier; Playmates; Looking for Love; Lazy Sunday
11 May
The Seekers The Sage Gateshead 10th May 2014
The Seekers The Sage Gateshead 10th May 2014
I have already admitted to one guilty pleasure this week. Today, I am afraid, I am writing about yet another. Last night I relived part of my childhood. I went to see The Seekers on their 50th anniversary reunion tour, which called at the Sage Gateshead. Many years ago, when I was young, one of the first records I can remember getting was The Beatles “Help” album. It was Christmas 1965 and I was 9 years old. From then on I started to collect records, and bought lots of pop singles, graduating to more grown up stuff by the late 60s. But in the background to all that was my parent’s record collection and their choice of music. One of the people they played all the time was The Seekers. When the lp “Best of the Seekers” came out in 1968, my dad went out and bought it. He played that lp record again and again. Of course, by then I would scoff at the pure pop and folk harmonies, and I felt I was much too cool to listen to anything as “straight” as The Seekers. But secretly I liked some of those tunes and still do; “Georgy Girl” in particular is one of those songs which sticks in your brain and rumbles around and around, driving you mad. The Seekers split in the late 60s and I never got the chance to see them at the time. They reunited for the first time for their 25th anniversary and toured the UK in 1993 and 1994, calling at Newcastle City Hall. I foolishly missed that concert, and have regretted it ever since. So when it was announced that they were returning to the UK, for what is quite likely to be the last time, I decided to set coolness aside and go along and spend an evening with part of my childhood and those great harmless tunes. The tour had been delayed (The Seekers were originally due to play the Sage last September) because singer Judith Durham suffered a brain hemorrhage last May. The good news is that she is now fully recovered and able to tour again.
The show started with a video montage of The Seekers in the 60s, played to The Seekers’ cover of The Beatles “In My Life”. The four of them then walked onstage, to a loud and warm standing ovation from the audience. The Seekers are, as they were in the 60s, Athol Guy (double bass), Keith Potger (12 string guitar), Bruce Woodley (guitar) and Judith Durham (vocals). The stage set-up was simple with the four of them, their acoustic instruments, a drummer, a couple of keyboard players, and a large video screen. The show was in two parts, and was interspersed with video clips of the band back in their heyday and of the swinging 60s. Athol Guy did many of the introductions, telling little stories of their success. They are clearly very proud of what they achieved in those days, and lots of famous names were mentioned. For me the most impressive clip was taken from the NME Poll Winners concert, which was held at Wembley Empire Pool in 1966. The Seekers shared the bill with, among others, The Beatles; who were shown playing “I Feel Fine”; and the Stones; who were shown playing “The Last Time”. The Seekers were then introduced as “a new act who are playing their brand new single”; cue the group launching into “A World Of Our Own”. Another clip showed the band back in the 60s joking about whether they would still be together in 50 years time and then cutting to a shot of what they might look like if they were; and showing each member with grey hair, an ear trumpet, a bath chair; etc. You get the idea.
I usually learn something new about the band when I go to a concert, and last night was no exception. I’d hadn’t realised how many people The Seekers had worked with; that they had written “Red Rubber Ball” with Paul Simon, and that they were friendly with Tom Paxton (sue “Last Thing on my Mind”). I sort of knew, but had forgotten, that most of their big hits were written by Tom Springfield of the Springfields, and brother of Dusty. And did you know that Tom Springfield wrote “Georgy Girl” with Carry On actor Jim Dale? Or that Bruce Woodley of the band wrote “I am Australian” which has joined “the ranks of other patriotic songs considered as alternatives to the Australian national anthem…is commonly taught in primary schools (Wikipedia)?
They played all the hits, keeping “Georgy Girl” to the end, and encoring with “The Carnival is Over”. I still can’t get away with the happy clappy gospel songs and cringed in my seat during those parts of the show, but I was also swept away with the nostalgia and emotion of hearing them play “I’ll Never Find Another You”, “A World of Our Own” and “Georgy Girl”. Oh and they didn’t play “Island of Dreams” (although the song was played over the PA during the interval (try the ginger ice cream)).
My final mention has to go to Judith Durham. I’ve seen many artists from the 60s in recent years. Some of them are ok, and some are shadows of their past selves. In many cases their voices have mellowed, changed, and they often can’t hit the notes in the same way as they could. Of all of them, this was the strongest vocal performance I have seen. Judith’s voice is as pure and clear as it ever has been.
An enjoyable evening. I thought I would be the youngest person there, but actually I wasn’t; the audience consisted of all ages, from young to old. It was of course very respectable, and I have to say, pretty uncool; I suppose. But then who is to say what is “cool”. My ears aren’t ringing this morning, and I wasn’t in fear of my life in any way last night, so maybe uncoolness is ok in some ways 🙂
Back to some rock bands for my writings for the rest of the week.
Setlist.
Set 1. Come the Day; I’ll Never Find Another You; A World of Our Own; Love Is Kind, Love Is Wine; The Water Is Wide; When Will the Good Apples Fall; Silver Threads And Golden Needles; Colours of My Life; Morningtown Ride; Just a Closer Walk With Thee; Myra; I Am Australian; Medley: This Little Light Of Mine/Open Up Them Pearly Gates/We Shall Not Be Moved.
Set 2. Someday One Day; When the Stars Begin to Fall; The Last Thing on My Mind; You’re My Spirit; Walk With Me; Guardian Angel/Guiding Light (Keith Potger solo); Louisiana Man (Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley & Athol Guy); The Olive Tree (Judith Durham solo); Red Rubber Ball; Georgy Girl; Keep a Dream in Your Pocket.
Encore: The Carnival Is Over.
9 May
The Spice Girls Reunion O2 Arena London 15th December 2007
The Spice Girls Reunion O2 Arena London 15th December 2007
On 28 June 2007, the Spice Girls held a press conference in London, announcing that they were to reunite. They revealed that they were going to embark on a world concert tour as a celebration of the group’s legacy and a final farewell to fans. Eleven concerts were announced in North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa and South America and we were informed that we had to pre-register for tickets on the Spice Girls’ website. Lucky “winners” were sent a code which allowed them to buy tickets for the concerts. Initially only one night in London was planned, but it sold out in only 38 seconds, and more dates were quickly added. Concerts continued to be added, and they eventually played a massive 17 nights in London at the O2 Arena, and 3 nights at Manchester Arena. Laura wanted to see her childhood heroes again and we were lucky enough to get tickets for the opening night, thanks to a friendly Spice Girls fan from Germany who gave us a code to but tickets when they first went on sale, having not been successful ourselves in the initial draw. Our trip to planet Spice started on the train from Durham station down to Kings Cross, onward to a trusty Travelodge to dump our bags, and then to the classy O2 Arena to take our seats for a nostalgic trip back to the days of Girl Power !! 🙂 Laura bought a t shirt (perhaps I should have got one). We had pretty decent seats on the arena floor about half way back and with a great view of the stage. The first bit of excitement came when Will Young took his seat a few rows in front of us, to massive cheers and screams from the crowd.
The show began with a video of five young girls (representing our five heroes) playing inside a house. They find a magic box, open it, fireworks appear, and they all wish that they can become pop stars when they grow up (does it work like that?). Cue the music for “Spice Up Your Life” and videos and press cuttings of the Spice Girls. The girls then appeared on five massive high platforms and the whole place erupted. I have literally never heard such loud screaming go on for so long. The 20,000 strong O2 crowd gave the Spice Girls a reception unlike anything else I have seen. Breathtaking. Girl Power had returned to London.
“Spice Up Your Life” was followed by “Stop” and their reunion single “Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)” closed the first act. The second act had a jazz theme: “The Lady Is A Vamp” and a showgirl-style performance. The girls performed jazz versions of “Too Much” and “2 Become 1” with the girls dancing around pink and white poles. In the third act each of the girls took a solo spot which started with lots of catwalking from Posh to a remix of “Like a Virgin”. Scary then took a male member of the audience and chained him to a ladder while she performed (as of course she did for part of the Spice Girls career) and the four piece band performed “Holler”. She then returned to perform her big solo hit single “It’s Raining Men”, followed by Mel C singing her solo single, “I Turn to You”. The next section included “Mama” with images of the Spice Girls with their mothers and their own children. After a medley they finished with “Goodbye” and the concert ended with the slogan “SPICE – MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”. The encore was (of course) their biggest hit and debut single “Wannabe”. and “Spice Up Your Life”.
Great fun actually.
Back to rock concerts tomorrow.
Vintagerock's Weblog. 