Melanie C was back in Liverpool to celebrate the release of her ninth studio album
Melanie C performs at Camp and Furnace in Liverpool
Melanie C performs at Camp and Furnace in Liverpool (Image: Hannah Rees)
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Just hours earlier, I had chatted with Melanie C about the possibility of the Spice Girls performing at Anfield Stadium. Melanie, known as Sporty Spice and one fifth of the legendary girl group, told the ECHO that performances at Glastonbury would be "amazing", Anfield would be "incredible", and she'd also heard talk about the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Now, the pop star, who was born in Whiston and grew up in Widnes, was at Liverpool's Camp and Furnace for a special performance of her own. The date marked the release of her ninth studio album, 'Sweat', and she would perform some new songs for a Liverpool crowd before heading to Jacaranda Baltic for a DJ set. After performing the title track, she told the Liverpool crowd that the album's chart debut could be her "most successful entry" in her solo career. As she said on stage, it was definitely a "glorious day" in Liverpool. Melanie C was at the venue to perform, as she put it, "a few newies and a few oldies" as she celebrated the album's launch in the city. Influenced by '90s rave culture and her love of dance music, the album is made for a live venue, and she certainly brought the energy with them on stage.
Melanie C with fans at Jacaranda Baltic
Melanie C with fans at Jacaranda Baltic(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
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From her latest album, she performed 'Sweat', 'What Could Possibly Go Wrong?', 'Undefeated Champion' and 'Attitude'. 'Drum Machine' was my favourite "newey" of the night. The crowd, nicely warmed into the evening eight songs in, seemingly had the same reaction too. But there was still "time for nostalgia", and Melanie treated fans to some of the biggest hits from her back catalogue. 'Northern Star', the title track from her 1999 debut studio album, was a highlight of the night. Her performance was stunning, and she proved that she is still at the top of her game nearly 30 years later. The performance seemed to leave the singer feeling nostalgic too. She thanked fans who had stuck by her for three decades, revealing that she "loved these moments". It followed on with an iconic statement — girl power, if you will — from the performer, who told the crowd that at 52 she's "selling more albums than I have in decades." She then asked the crowd to go "Spice crazy" as she performed one of the Spice Girls' biggest songs, 'Spice Up Your Life'. It was great seeing the crowd — a lot of whom wore Adidas tracksuits in a nod to the singer—dance along with the song's iconic moves all these years later. She closed the night with 'I Turn To You,' another of her biggest solo hits. Although this part of the night was ending, Melanie and the Liverpool crowd showed no signs of slowing down; they were certainly ready to continue the party. I suspect many attended her DJ set starting 30 minutes later. Melanie C's performance proved why she remains one of Merseyside's biggest musical assets. Her voice is phenomenal, and she is an incredible performer who knows how to entertain a crowd. Closing the show, she said: "It's so good to be back in Liverpool." It was great to have her back too.
Melanie C album launch setlist
Sweat
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Never Be The Same Again
Undefeated Champion
Attitude
Northern Star
Spice Up Your Life
Drum Machine
I Turn To You