The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence home of Kent Cricket, Canterbury, will welcome UB40 on Saturday 3rd June 2017 as part of the band’s summer Grandslam UK Tour.
UB40 – featuring original members Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue, backed by a fantastic eight-piece reggae band, will be bringing their inimitable blend of reggae and pop greatest hits to the forefront of the British summer events calendar, and will be joined by special guests Level 42, also performing a host of their greatest hits, along with The Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson and introducing Raging Fyah.
The Grandslam Tour will run from Friday 19 May until Saturday 12 August 2017 and will see the band perform at some of the greatest and most prestigious outdoor venues in the UK and Ireland, including the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence home of Kent Cricket, Canterbury on Saturday 3rd June 2017.
Each of these shows promises concertgoers a first-hand experience of an outdoor event, with the addition of a real festival vibe; the result of the unique Grandslam format of the tour.
Ali Campbell of UB40 said, “We cannot wait to perform for all our fans in Kent next summer and pull out all the favourites that our fans love the most. The Grandslam Tour is going to be a brilliant experience for both us and the fans, and we are delighted to have Level 42, The Original Wailers and the amazing Raging Fyah performing as our special guests.”
UB40 have released hit after hit since they formed in 1978, achieving three UK Number Ones (Red, Red Wine, I Got You Babe, ft. Chrissie Hynde and I Can’t Help Falling In Love with You) not to mention 17 Top 10 tracks (including One In Ten, If It Happens Again, Breakfast in Bed, Kingston Town and Homely Girl) and a constant stream of singles over the decades, each of which continue to delight fans.
The release of their brand new Unplugged album on Friday 18 November 2016, which offers an inventive new spin on UB40’s early gems plus the huge hits with which they later wooed the world, underlines UB40 – featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue – as one of the most iconic Reggae bands to hail from the UK.
Since reuniting three years ago, Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue have developed into a formidable touring outfit. 2016 has seen them return to the States, play Australia and visit the vineyards of New Zealand for a Red Red Winery Tour. They also made an emotional return to UK in April 2016, when they performed songs from the first two Labour Of Love albums on an arena tour that included sell-out shows at London’s O2 Arena, the Brighton Centre and the Barclaycard Arena in their native Birmingham.
The Grandslam UK Tour presents an excellent opportunity to see UB40 – featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue – at their best as they bring their enthusiasm, passion and winning combination of chilled and upbeat tracks to the centre stage.
Level 42 and Mark King are one of the most successful British bands of the 1980’s, and to date they have released 14 studio albums, seven live albums, the Sirens’ EP, and six compilation albums. They have also had 18 top 40 singles, including Lessons in Love, Something About You, Leaving Me Now, Running in the Family and Hot Water, and have sold in excess of 30 million albums worldwide.
With the recent re-issues of the bands vast catalogue on Universal Music, and inclusion on BBC Radio 2’s Sounds of the Eighties compilation album currently in the charts, it is clear they continue to be a benchmark for British Jazz Funk at the highest level, making them a brilliant addition to the UB40 Grandslam UK and Ireland Tour.
Mark King of Level 42 said, “We are really excited for this Grandslam experience. To share the stage with such an iconic band as UB40 is an opportunity we could not refuse and we are looking forward to performing in Kent.”
The Original Wailers will be performing those well-loved Bob Marley and the Wailers definitive songs that have become iconic. Original Wailers members will take to the stage including guitarist Al Anderson.
Raging Fyah are regarded as one of Jamaica’s most promising young acts and have earned comparisons to legendary reggae outfits including Aswad and Steel Pulse, and Jamaica’s own Third World. Ali Campbell has personally invited Raging Fyah onto the tour recognising what a young talent they are. They are also well loved by UK reggae tastemakers such as David Rodigan and Toddla T.
Kent Cricket CEO Jamie Clifford said: “There’s a Caribbean flavour to our 2017 schedule with the FGS Plant tour to Antigua followed by the visit of the West Indies to Canterbury so we’re delighted to welcome the most popular UK reggae act of all time.
“UB40 and the Original Wailers will continue our commitment to bringing big acts to Kent and the addition of Level 42 will create a festival atmosphere.”
Liz Doogan-Hobbs MBE, CEO of LHG Live, promoters for the Grandslam UB40 UK Tour said, “Grandslam is a summer event series combining stunning outdoor venues with a concert format with a real festival vibe. We are thrilled to be working with UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue next summer. We are also delighted Level 42 will be joining the tour as special guests and cannot wait to introduce The Original Wailers to places they have never played before. To include Raging Fyah on this tour is also a real treat. We’re looking forward to a great summer together!”
The Grandslam UB40 UK Tour – featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue kicks off in Inverness at the Northern Meeting Park on Friday 19 May, finishing on Saturday 12 August at Chelmsford City Racecourse, and will see a host of venues in between.
More dates will be announced shortly.
Tickets for the Grandslam UB40 UK Tour – featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue – with special guests Level 42, The Original Wailers and Raging Fyah go on General Sale on Friday 25 November at 10.00am.
Tickets are priced at: £35.00 + booking fee (General Admission) and £50.00 + booking fee (Platinum enclosure)
www.UB40.org
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
www.lhgtickets.com
Tickets are all standing
Limited Disabled Tickets are available directly from Kent Cricket while stocks last – to book, call 01227 456 886 (weekdays 9am to 5pm).
GRANDSLAM UB40 2017 UK Tour
Friday 19 May Inverness, Northern Meeting Park- Subject to licensing approval
Saturday 20 May Dundee, Slessor Gardens- Subject to licensing approval
Friday 26 May Wrexham, The Racecourse Ground
Saturday 27 May Coventry, Butts Park Arena
Sunday 28 May Darlington, Northern Echo Arena
Friday 02 June Carlisle, Brunton Park
Saturday 03 June Canterbury, The Spitfire Ground
Saturday 10 June Llanelli, Parcs Y Scarlets
Sunday 11 June Taunton Racecourse*
Friday 16 June Blackpool, Bloomfield Road
Saturday 17 June Newark Festival, Riverside Park**
Saturday 12 August Chelmsford City Racecourse***
*Level 42 not performing
**Raging Fyah not performing
***UB40 only