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I was taking a class at the Irish centre last night and we went for an end of term drink. When we were leaving, the pub and the streets were full of people who had been to UB40, and they were really unhappy. A couple of women stopped us to vent at how frustrating and disappointed they were, apparently sparing with the hits and generally grumpy and lacklustre. Anyone here go? I’ve not seen a street reaction like that since Rainbow fans broke windows in Wembley about 1980!
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 08:47 - Dec 4 with 3177 views
For me the UB's went from brilliant to pretty $hit from Red Red Wine onwards. Probably a sweeping generalisation but how they went from The Earth Dies Screaming and One in Ten etc to that so quickly still pains me.
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 09:00 - Dec 4 with 3143 views
Last year Bob Dylan came to the music festival in my town. I wasn't bothered to get a ticket, but a mate had a spare one, so off I go. Well, there's €90 and 90 minutes of my life I'm not getting back this side of the rapture!
Not one song from his back catalogue of what are some belters. Not. One! In their place, he sang in that miserable tone and he sat behind a piano and aside of saying thanks, bye, and off he goes. Zero engagement with the crowd and an utterly dire.
Exiting the venue, all you coukd hear were people berating him and the whole miserable experience.
As for UB40, how you can go from 'Earth Die Screaming' and 'One in Ten' to the shite they went on to pump out and not be embarrassed or arrested, I'll never know.
'Always In Motion' by John Honney available on amazon.co.uk
Was in Bristol a couple of months ago, saw loads of Elvis Costello fans walking out halfway through. I was at a different show at the same venue so can't comment on the performance...
I saw the one with Ali Campbell in Ipswich a few years ago and they were quite good,but a couple of the big names from the original UB40 have died since then,so I think it’s just him now with a backing band. Then there is one with Robin Campbell with some of the old band,but I’ve never been to one of their shows. A shame when brothers split like they have,but they were better together than they are apart.
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 09:23 - Dec 4 with 3015 views
Funny old bunch are the UB’s. I only knew the early hits which as has been said were fairly superlative. The Earth Dies Screaming is touched by genius.
I never listened to any albums though until Daniel Paddox kept banging on about them in a drunken rage at me at The Flepherd and Shock that for my own protection I bought the first three albums. A very pleasant surprise, they were really good.
A shame they turned into the overblown soppy, covers band they became. Nothing to recommend there at all and now seems to be all they’re known for.
Also I find it weird that after the split people go to see the Ali Campbell version of it, given it was him who jumped ship but after he had to cancel gigs started using the band name. Like going on to support MK Dons.
Glad to say Danny hasn’t killed me, as far as I know. But he will not buy an XTC album no matter how much I rage drunkenly into his Guinness.
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 09:52 - Dec 4 with 2900 views
I never got on with UB40 even as a kid when they were at their peak.
I worked on a BBC new sounds of 2024 show the other night and there was this band on called Ezra Collective drummer, sax, trumpet and bass. (3 black guys and couldn't see the drummer) Really really good! Jazz fusion around a central 'riff' from Latin sounding to Carnivalesque sax and trompet solo's and all instrumental.
Not sure of the transmission date but some of you guys may like it. I missed the other 3 bands onebefore apparently 'English teacher" were good.
[Post edited 4 Dec 9:54]
Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 09:55 - Dec 4 with 2880 views
I was at that Rainbow gig at Wembley Arena (Empire Pool) in 1980 as a 16 year old headbanger. Richie Blackmore threw a right strop and refused encores and short set etc. so a total riot started the place was trashed, tons of Police arrived, loads of arrests it made national news at the time.
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 10:09 - Dec 4 with 2810 views
UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 09:55 - Dec 4 by NorthantsHoop
I was at that Rainbow gig at Wembley Arena (Empire Pool) in 1980 as a 16 year old headbanger. Richie Blackmore threw a right strop and refused encores and short set etc. so a total riot started the place was trashed, tons of Police arrived, loads of arrests it made national news at the time.
A couple of friends from school were there, said it was more rowdy than football. Loads of windows still boarded up around Wembley Park days later.
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 10:25 - Dec 4 with 2739 views
UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 09:52 - Dec 4 by Metallica_Hoop
I bet that was Zippy instigating.
I never got on with UB40 even as a kid when they were at their peak.
I worked on a BBC new sounds of 2024 show the other night and there was this band on called Ezra Collective drummer, sax, trumpet and bass. (3 black guys and couldn't see the drummer) Really really good! Jazz fusion around a central 'riff' from Latin sounding to Carnivalesque sax and trompet solo's and all instrumental.
Not sure of the transmission date but some of you guys may like it. I missed the other 3 bands onebefore apparently 'English teacher" were good.
[Post edited 4 Dec 9:54]
Saw Ezra Collective in Bristol a few weeks ago, amazing show, amazing vibes full of joy and love. Show started with the sax and trumpet players in the crowd and ended with them plus the bassman in the pit leading the dance. Top 5 gig fo sho.
Apropros of UB40, saw the Ali Campbell version at a Rewind festival (don’t judge me) last year and were pretty shite. Ali doing a good impression of Joe Biden these days…he even went iff stage randomly towards the end, presumably for a lie down. Voice still strong but no-one at home
As others have said, were amazing to begin with and then turned pop dross
Be more Ezra is my view on life
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 10:26 - Dec 4 with 2724 views
UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 09:52 - Dec 4 by Metallica_Hoop
I bet that was Zippy instigating.
I never got on with UB40 even as a kid when they were at their peak.
I worked on a BBC new sounds of 2024 show the other night and there was this band on called Ezra Collective drummer, sax, trumpet and bass. (3 black guys and couldn't see the drummer) Really really good! Jazz fusion around a central 'riff' from Latin sounding to Carnivalesque sax and trompet solo's and all instrumental.
Not sure of the transmission date but some of you guys may like it. I missed the other 3 bands onebefore apparently 'English teacher" were good.
[Post edited 4 Dec 9:54]
PS Met, sounds like you missed them with the keys player, Joe Armon Jones, who is stunning in his own right…believe he finished the Ezra tour and then went on his own one. Trumpeter has recenrly done the same and the drummer/bandleader Femi Koleoso can often ne heard on 6 Music subbing for one of the other DJs…very impressive guys/people.
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 10:34 - Dec 4 with 2668 views
UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 10:29 - Dec 4 by BristolR
PS Met, sounds like you missed them with the keys player, Joe Armon Jones, who is stunning in his own right…believe he finished the Ezra tour and then went on his own one. Trumpeter has recenrly done the same and the drummer/bandleader Femi Koleoso can often ne heard on 6 Music subbing for one of the other DJs…very impressive guys/people.
There may have been a keyboard player but the crowd were standing and I was by the sound desk so couldn't see stage left.
At one point it reminded me of Santana at Hammersmith in 1994 but with out the guitar obvs, similar vibe.
Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 10:42 - Dec 4 with 2610 views
UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 08:47 - Dec 4 by CroydonCaptJack
For me the UB's went from brilliant to pretty $hit from Red Red Wine onwards. Probably a sweeping generalisation but how they went from The Earth Dies Screaming and One in Ten etc to that so quickly still pains me.
Couldn’t agree more . The first two albums were astoundingly good and the arrived with an advent of the Walkman in the late 70s. The earth dies screaming , present arms and sardonicus exceptionally good tracks. Was never really interested in the cover versions.
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UB40 at Hammersmith Apollo last night on 11:18 - Dec 4 with 2461 views
Biggest disappointments for me were Dylan (miserable fcuk), where we were ejected if we used a phone, Streisand at the Dome, came on and sang 20 minutes worth of bits of songs, and then had a trumpeter, orchestra, and her son filling in for the rest of the 3 hour gig. Left after an hour.
Costello at the Bridgewater hall, my god his voice was crap, he sat most of the gig, and yes he did sing some hits but no backing group it was hollow and bumbling. Declan took my money and ran!
Adam Ant. You know, going to 80's full day 'lets rock' gigs can be rewarding. However about 4 years ago he started to demand he and the 'ants' were given top billing. You could tell from the moment the first song struck up that he had no voice, no ability to keep a not, and he literally mumbled, bumbled and wheezed for breath. I left after 20 mins along with about 65% of the crowd.
The Farm, you know your in trouble when you stand in a muddy cold field and the Farm come on for a 40 minute gig. Hell on earth apart from 'The' song that we all know, and that was strung out for a 15 minute sing song.
Tpau, no voice, no charisma, no style, no gravitas, no hope!
Sick to the back molars of hearing Sweet Caroline at every fkin football ground I wouldn’t mind hearing this Neil Diamond version maybe when the home team loses (that would be us)
ps: in curious synchronicity to Metallica’s post I’m sure the pub in the vid is the Ez … ah no it’s the Effra … doh!
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