UB40
UB40 as a group of young friends from Birmingham transcended their working-class origins to become the world’s most successful reggae band, selling over 100 million records and spending over a combined 11 years in the UK album charts, is not the stuff of fairytales as might be imagined. The group’s led a charmed life in many respects it’s true, but it’s been a long haul since the days they’d meet up in the bars and clubs around Moseley, and some of them had to scrape by on less than £8 a week unemployment benefit. The choice was simple if you’d left school early. You could either work in one of the local factories, like Robin Campbell did, or scuffle along aimlessly whilst waiting for something else to happen.
By the summer of 1978 UB40 began rehearsing in a local basement. Robin’s younger brother Ali, Earl Falconer, Brian Travers and James Brown all knew each other from Moseley School of Art, whilst Norman Hassan had been a friend of the Campbell’s since junior school. Initially, they thought of themselves as an instrumental “jazz-dub-reggae” band, but by the time Robin was persuaded to rejoin and much later they’d recruited Michael Virtue and lastly Astro – who’d learnt his craft with Birmingham sound-system Duke Alloy – the group had already aligned themselves to left-wing political ideals and forged their own identity, separate from the many punk and Two Tone outfits around at that time. The group had nailed their colours to the mast by naming themselves after an unemployment benefit form. Their political convictions hadn’t been gleaned second-hand either, but cemented in place whilst attending marches protesting against the National Front, or rallies organised by Rock Against Racism.
UB40 is one of the most successful and influential British groups of all time, with more than 100 million albums sold, and more than 50 charting singles in the UK, including their trademark global #1 hits “Red Red Wine” and “(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You”; and U.S. Top 10s “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” and “The Way You Do The Things You Do.” The reggae/pop legends set the stage for their highly anticipated 45th Anniversary celebrations this year, along with the release of their new, forthcoming 45th Anniversary album featuring new songs and reworked classics, both titled UB45.
How it works Our Simple steps to your tickets
Choose your event
Browse our curated list of top football matches, concerts, and exclusive experiences. Filter by date, team, venue, or category to find the event that suits you.
Pick your seat
View seating options, hospitality packages, and price levels. Whether you’re after VIP treatment or best-value seats, you’ll see full details before checkout.
Secure Checkout
Complete your booking with our secure and user-friendly checkout process. We accept all major payment methods and never store card details.
Get your tickets
Your tickets will be delivered to your inbox or mobile wallet. You’ll also receive event-day info and support from our customer service team.