Melanie C

I once asked Mel C for her autograph. In a health food shop. As she signed a scrap of paper I asked her if it embarrassed her that people would come up and ask her to perform such inanities. “No”, she replied, “I’ll be embarrassed when they stop asking.”

On tonight’s performance she’s not going to be red-faced for a while. As the other ex-Spice Girls become famous for things other than their ‘musical’ output – Victoria: Football wife; Mel B: Loudmouthed divorcee; Emma : God knows! Geri: Slimmer of the Year – Mel C at least has remained in our consciousness due to her own chart successes and several collaborations. Unlike her fellow old-Spicers, who if anything have become even more pop-plastic since their glory days, Mel C has experimented with different genres and styles in an effort to find her niche. It appears that she really has been in it for the music all along.

On tonight’s performance she may not yet have found exactly what she’s looking for, but she does demonstrate an enduring talent. She starts with some slow ballads from her Northern Star album, before launching into rock mode with ‘Goin’ Down’ and ‘When You’re Gone’. Gyrating and grooving with the boys and girls in the band to the delight of the mainly female audience, she’s obviously having fun. She seems to enjoy the portrayal of herself as sexy rock-chick though perhaps she forces it a bit. We also get the dance anthem ‘I Turn To You’ and she encores with an R ‘n’ B flavoured ‘Never Be The Same Again’.

While the show displays slightly schizophrenic qualities, there’s no question that the lady herself really does give her all and she may yet top any of her previous solo successes if she finds the right tune. I hope she does ‘cos these days she seems… well, more nice-girl than Spicegirl.