The harmonies were at times a little weak and the dance moves a bit stiff. But none of that really mattered during the nearly two-hour glitz fest better known as the Spice Girls reunion tour.

On Thursday night, it stopped by Washington's Verizon Center, where "girl power" was in full effect, as a predominantly female audience ranging from about 16 to 30 years old packed the arena. The Spice Girls hadn't performed together for a decade before they decided last year to reunite. And even more time and several pop trends have passed since the British quintet made an impact on the international music charts.

But the group's pop irrelevance clearly isn't an issue. When the lights went down and the self-branded Baby, Ginger, Posh, Scary and Sporty Spice rose on separate platforms in the middle of the expensive, multi-tiered set, the screams were absolutely deafening.

The five svelte performers delivered a well-paced and surprisingly engaging show full of high camp, Vegas-inspired spectacle and Broadway-style choreography. All of the Spices -- most are mothers now -- looked incredible in painted-on, skimpy outfits that didn't cross over into sleaze, something the Spice Girls were never known for anyway. Their vapid '90s hits, which even at the time sounded like retreads of sparkly '80s tunes by the likes of Madonna and Stacey Q, extolled sweet love affairs and dear friendships that last forever and ever.

So musically the show was all nostalgia, glittering up the booming 1990s. Flanked by 10 writhing, tumbling and spinning male dancers who, at times, served as props, the Spice Girls offered neon, sugary fun by the pound. Backed by a faceless six-piece band, the group did note-for-note renditions of all its smashes: "Say You'll Be There," "2 Become 1," and, of course, "Wannabe."

Other than the hits, all of which are compiled on the recently released Spice Girls Greatest Hits, the group performed songs made famous by others, including "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls and a disco medley of Kool and the Gang's "Celebration," Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" and other '70s karaoke favorites.

But the Spice Girls also went out of their way to, well, spice up the act. During the show's raciest moments, Melanie "Scary" Brown performed Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" in a leopard-print cat suit while wielding a long whip attached to her microphone. The dominatrix theme was further heightened during "Holler." All five Spices, vacuum-sealed in leather outfits, sang the hip-hopped number, as the dancers writhed around them with glittery leashes around their necks.

It was all done politely, of course. The Spice Girls may sport more low-cut couture these days, but they're still harmless. They even took time out to celebrate motherhood during a rather sappy performance of "Mama." On the big screens overhead, old pictures of the Spices as little girls were interspersed with recent shots of their children.

The show was so exhaustively produced and extravagantly staged that it wouldn't be a surprise at all if the Spice Girls soon became a resident Vegas act. It seems a natural fit. They've always been such fun girls.

rashod.ollison@baltsun.com