‘A Moment In Pop Culture That Can’t Be Replicated’: The Spice Girls’ Comeback

The stadium tour announcement in 2018 gave Ticketmaster UK its biggest sale to date, leading to the addition of extra dates.

In total, the Spice Girls sold out 13 stadiums, equaling 698,000 tickets.

The band’s agent David Zedeck, global head of music at UTA, told Pollstar, “It was an incredibly successful tour by all metrics, but what was truly special was the opportunity to witness the amazing connection between the Spice Girls and their fans.

“It was a moment in popular culture that can’t be replicated or manufactured.”

Zedeck remembers one particular highlight from the tour: “At the end of the last show when the music ended, the Spice Girls who would normally be offstage as the band played off – instead sat on the stage, in awe and appreciation of their fans.  No one in the venue wanted the night to end.”

The agent described working with the band and its team as working with “professionals across the board. They wanted to provide their fans with an incredible experience, and they overdelivered. Modest put together an incredible team to design, build and execute the exact show the Spice Girls wanted.”

Modest Management’s Richard Griffith’s, who summed up the Spice Girls comeback tour as “exciting and exhausting,” also picked two stand out concerts for Pollstar: “In Bristol, where the girls performed through pouring rain through whole night and 30,000 fans screamed and danced like the weather didn’t exist. The Friday London show was the loudest crowd I’ve ever heard!”

The tour closed at Wembley Stadium, the new Wembley Stadium, which opened in 2007. The Spice Girls also closed their 1998 Spiceworld tour in London, at the old Wembley.  The new building’s general manager, Liam Boyle, told Pollstar: “Hosting concerts is always special at this stadium because we are often the fabric of history and reference points for artistes when they look back on their careers. The Spice Girls are without doubt one of those bands who have left a huge footprint in Pop history.  

“Knowing that they have headlined their own tour at the old Wembley Stadium and now under the arch at the new stadium has massive kudos for us and we were absolutely delighted to have the honour of welcoming them back. 

“The three nights were stunning with so many fans reliving their past and creating an amazing atmosphere. Listening to the band’s final words on the last night of the tour  made you realize what it meant to them and to the fans to finish the tour at Wembley Stadium.  

“We are very lucky to work here but there are times when it really hits home just how fortunate we are and that Saturday night was one of those moments.”

The building’s senior commercial manager, James Taylor, added: “Hosting the final shows of the Spice Girls 2019 comeback tour was one of those iconic and historic Wembley moments. There was a fantastic atmosphere amongst the crowd knowing that they were witnessing one of those moments and the show itself did not disappoint with a magnificent production. 

“It was one of our fastest selling gigs of 2019 which just shows the appetite for the girls is as big as ever. It was great to host the band at Wembley Stadium connected by EE and we look forward to seeing what’s next for the Spice Girls! Congratulations to all involved.”