Still Sexy-N-Spicy

The Spice Girls may claim to represent Girl Power, but those synthetic British bandmates are mere poseurs when compared with the three empowered and empowering females in Salt-N-Pepa.

At the Galaxy Concert Theatre in Santa Ana on Thursday night, the New York-based Salt-N-Pepa delivered the sassy charisma and party-time energy that are two of its most appealing trademarks. After 13 years of strutting its stuff in the notoriously transitory hip-hop world, the rap trio continues to prove itself a dynamic concert attraction.

Most remarkable was Cheryl “Salt” James, who performed while six months pregnant. The diminutive James didn’t miss a step as she confidently bounded about the stage while sometimes Mexecuting elaborately choreographed moves with her partners Sandy “Pepa” Denton and Dee Dee “Spinderella” Roper, as well as with the group’s four intermittently used dancers.

James’ condition did cut into the group’s usually sirenesque sex appeal. As usual, Denton and Roper were vamped up in some of their most alluring, come-hither outfits. But James performed in coveralls and a bandanna.

There did seem to be some disappointing, though understandable, concessions to James’ condition. The group’s entire set lasted a little less than an hour, which is about the amount of time it takes Bruce Springsteen to get warmed up. Plus, during one brief stretch, both James and Denton left the stage and Roper--who serves both as a DJ and an up-front rapper--spun vinyl while a male emcee executed a passable version of an old school Run-D.M.C. number.

Still, it was hard to feel cheated, considering the amount of physical energy discharged by Salt-N-Pepa and the combustive nature of its raps. It also didn’t hurt that the group had plenty of hit material to choose from. The troika is the most commercially successful female rap act ever, with numerous multi-platinum albums.

The sexually suggestive “Push It” (the group’s breakthrough hit back in 1987), the AIDS awareness song “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “None of Your Business”--a fiery declaration of independence--were among the show’s highlights.

There are obvious signs that the once mighty Salt-N-Pepa’s popularity is in decline. The group’s last album, 1997’s “Brand New,” didn’t come close to racking up the huge sales or the strong critical notices associated with many of its previous albums.

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Not coincidentally, it was the first album the three women made without Hurby Azor, the producer who formed the group and the man James once called a Svengali.

Five years ago, Salt-N-Pepa headlined the 6,000-plus-seat Greek Theatre. This tour finds the group in clubs and smaller venues, such as the 550 capacity Galaxy.

But while the popular tide may have turned against Salt-N-Pepa, these impassioned women show few signs that they are ready to give in. And why should they? Give them three microphones and a stage and they are still capable of dropping jaws and igniting a dance floor.