Idolator collected some reviews and a youtube vid from the Spice Girls' Vancouver show -- the first gig of their comeback tour and their first performance as a fivesome in nine years.
Stuart Derdeyn of the Vancouver Province loved the show.
David Sinclair of Times Online can be somewhat cynical about Spice Girls Inc., but never to the point where it interferes with his fanaticism toward their music, or their ability to put on a great show.
Jane Stevenson of Sun Media harbours some petty resentment toward the Girl Power Mothership, but didn't let her jaded half overcome the enjoyment experienced by her "I know fun when I see it" half. Choice quote: "And the hits-heavy set list was so cleverly choreographed and the Spice Girls energy was so infectious that their lack of vocal chops was hardly noticeable." A reunion tour featuring some old hits? Excitement on stage? Nah, say it ain't so! The whole review reads like someone approaching the concert not with an open mind, but with a blank slate. She seems genuinely shocked to have witnessed a well-organized, energetic concert full of songs that she forgot she used to like (and songs she didn't know she liked -- yes, Jane, the SG's all had passable solo careers!)
Jeffery Simpson of Metroblogging Vancouver wins the "I Can't Believe It's Not 1997" award. Offhand reunion tour dismissal? Check. Pithily invoking ten-year old catchphrases? Check? Claims of Spice Girl corporate sell-out status? Check. Complete refusal to ascribe any artistic worth to the songs or to the individual talents of the Spice Girls themselves? Check. Choice quote: "They might not be artists, but the Spice Girls are clearly performers." Actually, there are far too many choice quotes to share here. Line by line takedowns, firejoemorgan-style, aren't really my bag (exception: Tim Hecker review in eye a few years ago. eye magazine in general, come to think of it. OK, NOW magazine too).
I can't help myself, choice quote II: "Nobody is going to call this great music, classic earth changing music, any more than someone is going to call the Teletubbies great drama, and yet it's fun. Sure when these songs were popular and preventing the new U2 video from appearing on Much Music ...". Man, when are U2 FINALLY going to get the airplay they deserve? Squeezed off of Much Music to make space for a bunch of dancing girls and their sexy videos! You go, Jeffrey, way to stand up for the little guy in the face of the unstoppable corporate behemoth!
You also have to love the delicious irony -- completely lost on Jeffrey and his self-proclaimed elephant's memory -- that the U2 songs he's mentioning were part of that band's mega-sellout, McDonald's-stooging, America-loving, wannabe biggest tour ever; complete with Vegas-staged, "making of" documentaries that were filmed and broadcast BEFORE THE TOUR EVEN BEGAN.
No comments:
Post a Comment