I’m sure a lot of UB40 fans are confused about the two Australian tours in 2024. The UB40 that played in Melbourne last night is the original band with founding members guitarist Robin Campbell, drummer Jimmy Brown, bass player and Earl Falconer, trombone player Norman Hassan.
The other one is like a Larry David “spite store” UB40 with former member Ali Campbell still touring as UB40 featuring blah, blah, blah but the Robin Campbell UB40 is the one to see.
UB40 has always centred on the drum and bass. With founding members Jimmy on drums and Earl on bass THIS IS THE SOUND OF UB40.
Brown and Falconer work together as a unit. Earl spent the night up against the drums perplex following every beat Jimmy was creating. That drums to bass to band to vocals is how a great band operates. In 2024, UB40 in Australia with this line-up is a great band.
We got a pretty much even old / verses recent ratio with the songs from 2024’s ‘UB45’ sounding as relevant in the setlist as the Singing Off (1980), ‘Present Arms’ (1981), ‘Labour of Love’ (1983) songs from 40 years prior.
Robin performed his 2019 love song to his wife Luci ‘The Keeper’. The couple who had been together for more than two decades married in 2020.
New singer Matt Doyle, formerly of Kioko, fits right in. Matt’s “passed the audition” for UB40 when Kioko featured on the 2021 song ‘You Don’t Call Anymore’. Gilly G who is also in the lineup was also on that album with ‘Me Nah Leave Yet’ so it made perfect sense to put them together for a live medley.
There were some deep dives as well. ‘Bring Me Your Cup’ from 1983’s ‘Promises and Lies’ and ‘Wear You To The Ball’ from 1989’s ‘Labour of Love II’ were not an issue for the audience who still knew every word. This was a die-hard UB40 fanbase crowd.
UB40 are touring Australia with Eagle-Eye Cherry. That story is here.
UB40 Melbourne 17 October 2024
Here I Am (Come and Take Me) (from Labour of Love II, 1989)
Keep on Moving / Maybe Tomorrow (from Labour of Love, 1983/from The Best of UB40, 1987)
Homely Girl (from Labour of Love II, 1989)
Sing Our Own Song (from Rat in the Kitchen, 1986)
One in Ten (from Present Arms, 1981)
Home (from UB45, 2024)
Please Don’t Make Me Cry (from Labour of Love, 1983
Bring Me Your Cup (from Promises and Lies, 1983)
You Don’t Call Anymore / Me Nah Leave Yet (from Bigga Baggariddem, 2021)
Fool Me Once (from UB45, 2024)
The Keeper (from For The Many, 2019)
Many Rivers to Cross (from Labour of Love, 1983)
Cherry Oh Baby (from Labour of Love, 1983)
Gimme Some Kinda Sign (from UB45, 2024)
Wear You To The Ball (from Labour of Love II, 1989)
Red Red Wine (from Labour of Love, 1983)
Encore:
Food For Thought / Forever Blue (from Signing Off, 1980/ from UB45, 2024)
Kingston Town(from Labour of Love II, 1989)
Can’t Help Falling in Love (from Promises and Lies, 1983)
Remaining UB40 and Eagle-Eye Cherry dates are:
18 October, Adelaide, AEC Theatre
20 October, Perth, Red Hill Auditorium
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