Spice Girls, Minus Victoria Beckham, Announce Stadium Tour
By Shirley Halperin
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The Spice Girls today announced their first concert dates together since the 2012 Olympics: a set of stadium dates in the U.K. for the summer of 2019. Manager Simon Fuller, who developed the group, and his XiX Entertainment are bringing four of the girls together — minus Victoria Beckham, aka “Posh Spice” — has partnered with Modest Management, whose clients include 5 Seconds of Summer and One Direction member Niall Horan, to stage the shows. The dates appear below; British singer Jess Glynne will open the dates.
Emma Bunton, Geri Horner, Melanie Brown and Melanie Chisholm will kick off a tour with stadium performances in their native U.K. starting in the spring of 2019. The group is booked by CAA.
“Because of her business commitments Victoria won’t be joining the girls on tour,” the announcement reads, “but will always be one of the Spice Girls and remains aligned with Emma, Mel B, Melanie C and Geri in preserving their unique legacy.”
Beckham herself said in the announcement, “Being in the Spice Girls was a hugely important part of my life and I wish my girls so much love and fun as they go back on tour, I know they will put on an amazing show and the fantastic fans past and present are going to have a wonderful time!”
The announcement includes a series of characteristically effusive comments from the four Spice Girls on the tour.
“It’s time to spice things up all over again!!!!! I can’t wait to perform to our forever supporting fans and a whole new spice generation! Love you all!,” said Emma Bunton.
“I’ve said it sooo many times I’m beside myself it’s actually happening yipppeeee. I’m now properly screaming it from every rooftop – me and my girls will see you all on stage!!,” enthused Mel B.
“Reminiscing with the girls about how much fun we had, made me feel like it was the right time to do it all over again!,” said Mel C.
“I am so excited, together we celebrate girl power with our fans and the next generation and everyone is welcome! Hold tight it’s gonna be fun xx,” said Geri Horner.
Modest’s Harry Magee and Richard Griffiths go back with Fuller to his years at BMG, when he managed Eurythmics (Fuller continues to represent Annie Lennox today). The deal is said to have been in the works for several months and the alliance allows for Fuller to explore potential film and television projects in tandem with a reunion marketing blitz.
As Variety reported in March , an animated film project starring the Spice Girls is being shopped to potential production partners and all five members of the group have signed off on their likenesses being used for a superhero-themed movie working off of the “girl power” message.
Rumors of a tour featuring all five Spice Girls — Posh, Scary, Sporty, Baby and Ginger — have been percolating for the better part of a year. But while the five singers acknowledged that they had met “to explore some incredible new opportunities together,” Beckham herself played down the possibility of participating.
Saturday 1st June
Manchester – Etihad Stadium
Monday 3rd June
Coventry – Ricoh Stadium
Thursday 6th June
Sunderland – Stadium Of Light
Saturday 8th June
Edinburgh – BT Murrayfield Stadium
Monday 10th June
Bristol – Ashton Gate Stadium
Saturday 15th June
London – Wembley Stadium
