JAN MOIR reviews Spice Girl Reunion Tour debut in Dublin

What do the Spice Girls really, really want? More than two decades after they first clambered aboard their platform boots and zig-a-zigged their way into the nation’s affections, they want to do it all over again.

Only this time they want to make it louder, prouder, bigger and better.

The Spice World Tour opened in Dublin’s Croke Park last night, with a fusillade of fireworks in a blast of hi-energy good fun and good old showbiz sparkle.

Sensational: Many of the band's looks paid homage to their 1990s glory days, as they delighted 58,000 fans with their show

If you don’t think exactly what we need in these drear times are four star-spangled, semi- retired popettes getting their rocks off and their chicas to the front, then you, sir, are very much mistaken.

Scary, Sporty, Ginger and Baby put on a show that was greeted with raptures by around 70,000 fans, a crowd who did not quite fill the giant sporting stadium.

Still, there was no shortage of atmosphere and it was a right craic that so many of them came dressed as their favourite Spice Girl. Dearie me, I haven’t seen so many girls with their hair in bunches since fourth form netball practice.

With a drum-heavy backbeat, the group opened with Spice Up Your Life, a simple plea to the powers of positivity, that had everyone on their feet from the get go.

Watching them dance and sing up there on the giant stage, they seemed both ageless and powerful. 

Each wore a pimped-up version of their original outfits, all of them drenched in a carpet of Swarovski crystals. 

Scary was in her leopard print cat suit, Sporty was in sequinned athletic wear, Ginger was in a full-length Union Jack-style dress (plus tiara!) while Baby glowed in pink, as always.

There was the occasional dullish filler in their 23-song set, but that was hardly surprising given that only around half a dozen of their songs were quantifiable hits in the first place. 

Their voices were never their strongest

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