Melanie C at KOKO Camden: All Saints stars join mini Spice Girls reunion

After 30 years in the business, Melanie C would have been forgiven for having to drop her songs by an octave or two at her recent birthday performance at KOKO Camden in London.

However, cementing her unfaltering vocal prowess, Sporty Spice belted out a powerful note and pitch perfect set of hits spanning both her solo and Spice Girls careers. No key changes required. And despite a handful of technical hiccups on the night, there were certainly no faults with Melanie’s flawless vocals, which were as powerful as they always were.

Emerging onstage on Friday 12 February in on-brand vest top and tracksuit trousers, showcasing her flawless six-pack abs, Melanie C went right into solo hit ‘Northern Star’, with the diverse crowd of fans, many in Sporty Spice fancy dress, going wild.

Granted, there were no backflips. But that didn’t matter, as Sporty still pirouetted across the stage with boundless energy to hits including ‘Goin Down’ and even a cover of Rui Da Silva’s ‘Touch Me’. Though KOKO Camden barely holds more people than a high school assembly hall, Melanie used every inch of the stage to prove why she was always known as “the talented one” of the world’s most famous girl group.

All Saints and Spice Girls form unlikely supergroup

Though the Spice Girls reunion we were all hoping for didn’t take place that night, bandmate Emma Bunton still made an appearance for a duet with Melanie on ‘Viva Forever’. This segued into a surprise appearance by All Saints members Natalie and Nicole Appleton for a four-way rendition of ‘2 Become 1’, who also acted as backing singers on ‘Spice Up Your Life and ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ – a delightful fever dream any Smash Hits reader of the 1990s could never have dreamed happening in a million years.

The foursome was joined onstage by friends and family members for a singalong of the latter two hits, including Mel B’s daughter Phoenix Brown, who also span a DJ set to warm up the crowd ahead of the show. The All Sai

Other special guests also joined the party, including composer David Arnold on solo track ‘Home’ and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson in place of Bryan Adams for ‘When You’re Gone.’

Between the tracks came a cute video message from the rest of the Spice Girls, with Melanie B declaring: “Happy birthday, you fucking old bitch!” and Victoria Beckham adding: “Wow. We are getting so old.”

After following on the tradition from last year’s Sporty is 40 show, we’re already counting the days down to the next decennial. Sporty Spice’s Sixtieth Soiree, perhaps? We’ll see.

Melanie C at KOKO Camden setlist

Northern Star
Here I Am
In and Out Of Love
Never Be the Same Again/Cry Me a River
Next Best Superstar
Beautiful Intentions
Going Down
Ga Ga
Why
Version of Me
Home
When You’re Gone
Here It Comes Again
Reason
Viva Forever
2 Become 1
Spice Up Your Life/Who Do You Think You Are
Blame It On Me
Overload
Touch Me (Rui Da Silva)
I Turn to You