UB40 in Auckland

UB40 are a British reggae band formed in Birmingham in 1978. Their reggae-pop sound, rooted in dub and ska, became widely known through songs including “Food for Thought,” “Red Red Wine,” “Kingston Town” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” as well as the covers album Labour of Love. UB40 played their first concert at the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath in 1979. A support tour with the Pretenders followed in 1980 and brought the group into larger British venues. They later performed at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985 and returned there for Nelson Mandela’s 70th Birthday Tribute in 1988.

Soul II Soul are a British music collective formed in London in 1988 and led by producer and DJ Jazzie B. Their soul, R&B and dance sound became widely known through “Keep on Movin’” and “Back to Life (However Do You Want Me),” both featuring vocalist Caron Wheeler, and the debut album Club Classics Vol. One. In 1990, Soul II Soul performed at Wembley Stadium during the Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa concert. A later performance at Brixton Academy was released as a concert recording, documenting the collective’s full-band stage format. In 2019, they brought that catalogue to the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival.