Brum reggae legends UB40 returned to their stomping ground last night for a special one-off gig to raise money for a sound-proofing roof needed to save a popular Digbeth music venue from closure by the city's over-zealous noise abatement officialdom. The Rainbow pub in Digbeth is typical of the venues in which the Birmingham supergroup first cut their teeth thirty years ago, so when word reached them that this popular back-street pub is the latest victim of the heavy handedness of the City Council's Environmental Protection Unit, they offered to stage the gig to raise some of the £40,000 required to sound-proof the performance area.
The band appeared last night in front of a warm, intimate and enthusiastic audience of around 500 fans, playing a lively and comprehensive set of their hits from an incredible 30 year career.
I first saw UB40 at Digbeth Civic Hall in 1979 just before they released their first double sided single King / Food For Thought followed by the memorable album Signing Off whose album cover was a replica of the familiar UB40 unemployment form that so many of us held close to our hearts at some time or other in the early 80s courtesy of the wonderful Iron Lady. During the next few months I saw them numerous times playing small pubs, clubs and college halls in Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country. Within 12 months they were playing football stadiums, travelling the world and achieving massive commercial success. I haven't seen them live since 1980.
It was therefore fanstastic to see the band last night in the sort of back street Brummie venue that 30 years ago they were playing on a weekly basis (in common with many other West Midlands legends at that time, such as Duran Duran, Fashion, Steel Pulse, The Beat, The Selector and The Specials). The band members have got older and in most cases larger, wrinklier, balder or greyer, as have many of their fan base it can be conceded, although it should also be said that they still maintain a wide appeal. But the atmosphere was reminiscent of those halcyon post-punk days in Thatcher's restless Britain when UB40 were fresh, political and innovative - a vibe of unity and commoness in music perhaps?
It was especially nice from a nostalgia point of view to hear the classic UB40 originals from the first two albums such as 1 in 10, Tyler and King - but in addition I think you can't beat the live performances of their covers from the various Labour of Love albums such as Cherry Oh Baby, Johnny Too Bad, Please Don't Make Me Cry, Many Rivers To Cross, Kingston Town, The Way You Do The Things To Me and of course the sublime Red Red Wine. The encore included I Can't Help Falling In Love With You - a heart string puller everytime for romantics like me and my lovely wife who requested it as our wedding reception waltz! Ahhhh!
I recently read someone from the band quoted as saying they can't rehearse Red Red Wine without collectively laughing or cringing, but as soon as they launch into the song in front of a live audience they said that it resumes it's original intensity and magic. Well last night I could appreciate exactly what they mean. In my opnion those pundits who criticise UB40 under the pretence of representing a purist Jamaican reggae critique are most probably middle class white music anoraks who actually just don't get reggae music if the truth be known, epsecially not reggae from the perspective of contemporary working class heritage - evidenced further by the long list of original, authentic and respected 60s and 70s Jamaican artists who have endorsed or perfomed with UB40 over many years. The day we hear Desmond Dekker or Jimmy Cliff rubbishing Birmingham's homegrown and multi-racial brand of reggae music - only then should we take the well-rehearsed and sadly oft times fashionable critique condescendingly offered by the UB40 knockers seriously.
In the meantime, it was really great to have my originally strong sense of appreciation of UB40 from 30 years ago both justified and reaffirmed by this high energy-packed, tightly accomplished and wholesomely passionate performance. If there were any pre-concert concerns about the loss of lead singer Ali Campbell a year or so ago following reported animosity between him and the other band others, they were immediately allayed by the vocal of his replacement lead singer, Ali and Robin's brother, Duncan Campbell. Physically and facially best described as a fusion of the said Ali and Robin, with your eyes closed Duncan's vocal could quite easily pass as that of Ali and begs the question, "so what has this guy been doing all of these years?" And if there were ever fears of this being a case akin to Danni replacing Kylie or Jermaine standing in for Michael, Mike McGear for Sir Paul perhaps ...forget it. Apart from a passing feeling of guilty sentimentality for poor old Ali - this is a case of the bridge having been quickly constructed and 500 people having just got over it.
A fantastic night of loud but melodic entertainment under the towering lonely railway arches in the shadowy and otherwise largely industrial back streets of Digbeth from Brum's celebrated sons. Let's hope it helps to keep The Rainbow going and is sufficient to our protectors from the lofty heights of the ivory Alpha Tower and their alleged solitary complainant from Abacus Apartments happy until they find another small recession and smoking-ban hit public house to attempt to put out of business in the city's so called thriving Irish Quarter. Incidentally, below is a quote from the website of Smart New Homes, an online agency advertising the Abacus Apartments:
"Birmingham rocks. Its heart beats loudly and in time with yours, whatever you want to do. If it’s nightlife you crave, Birmingham has a lot to offer from House, hip-hop, garage, drum ‘n’ bass, R & B, indie and any other sounds you care to listen out for".
Perhaps that should read: "Enjoy the spectacle of industrial tumbleweed blowing along windswept and culture bereft inner city back streets? Then you'll just die for the outlook of an Abacus Apartments balcony".
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