The UK’s most successful reggae band, UB40 have announced their eagerly anticipated return to Australia to celebrate the band’s 40th anniversary, and to perform hits from their latest release ‘For The Many’, which came out in March 2019.
Having previously sold out their 2015, 2017 and 2018 Australian tours, the quintessential UK reggae group will return to Australia in May, with plans to perform in previously uncharted territory; hitting Canberra, Wollongong and the Gold Coast for the first time, as well return performances in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
“Our previous Australian tours were all so much fun for us – you guys definitely know how to party down under” said founding member songwriter Robin Campbell. “We’ve been waiting for a chance to get back out to Australia since we last left, so we’re looking forward to getting down under to celebrate 40 years and a new album, in one of our favourite parts of the world.”
The ‘40th Anniversary For The Many Tour’ will offer audiences a taste of classic hits like ‘Red Red Wine’, ‘I Got You Babe’ and ‘Falling In Love With You’, as well as tracks from the latest release ‘For The Many’ which will performed live in Australia for the first time.
Jimmy Brown said, “For The Many’ is our first original album with Duncan, and a true reflection of where the band are at right now. It gave us an opportunity to go back to our roots and draw on the 1970s-style reggae that inspired us to be in a band in the first place. We intended to make an uncompromising reggae album and I think we have achieved that. There’s lots of dub, various guest toasters and a blend of love songs and political songs. I’m really happy with the final result. We’re really looking forward to playing some of these tunes live on our 40th anniversary tour”
Becoming a household name around the world throughout the 80s and 90s, UB40 (named after the UK’s unemployment benefit form) became known for reviving reggae across the world, filling the charts with their own songs and creating seminal versions of some of the world’s greatest tunes, crossing radio formats and continuing to dominate the airwaves to this day.
With over forty top 40 hits in their native Britain and sales of over 100 million records, the band – who recently celebrated 40 years together – are one of the biggest UK music acts of all time, and continue to record charting albums while touring across the world including regular trips to Australia where they have firmly found a place in the hearts of fans.
After four decades of success including their hit singles, international stadium tours and festival headline slots the band continue with their key founding members and songwriting core, staying true to and building on the legacy and ethos of the band.
UB40 are Robin Campbell (co-lead vocals and guitar), Duncan Campbell (lead vocals) Earl Falconer (bass, vocal), Jimmy Brown (drums), Norman Hassan (percussion, vocals). The band also features Martin Meredith (sax) and Laurence Parry (trumpet), who have both been in UB40’s touring line-up for over twenty years, and Tony Mullings (keyboards) and Ian Thompson (sax) creating a genre-defining synergy of horns and rhythm section that are uniquely UB40.
Tickets for UB40’s Australian tour go on sale at 10:00am [local time] on Tuesday 25 February, via:
Mjrpresents.com
40th ANNIVERSARY ‘FOR THE MANY’ TOUR
Saturday 02 May – Eatons Hill – Brisbane, QLD
Sunday 03 May – HOTA – Gold Coast, QLD
Tuesday 05 May – Canberra Theatre – Canberra, ACT
Wednesday 06 May – The Forum, Melbourne, VIC
Friday 08 May – WAVES – Wollongong, NSW
Saturday 09 May – Big Top – Sydney, NSW
Sunday 10 May – Riverside Theatre – Perth, WA
