Ub40

UB40 bring their reggae blueprint to Cardiff International Arena on 3 June 2026. Formed in late-70s Birmingham, the band built a sound rooted in British working-class life, first captured on Signing Off and Present Arms with dub shades and pointed lyrics. With Labour of Love, they leaned into reinterpretations of 60s and 70s reggae, a direction that ran alongside an increasingly melodic, pop-aware approach through the 90s. On stage, that mix comes through in warm horn lines, steady mid-tempo grooves and the constant dialogue between originals and versions.

Decades and line-up changes have reshaped the group, but the project continues to tour and record, carrying a catalogue that swings from politically charged cuts to laid-back, singalong favourites. In Cardiff, expect a set that threads those eras together, from early bass-heavy pulses to smoother, brass-led arrangements, delivered with the relaxed precision of a band that has played these songs across generations. UB40 in concert is about feel, flow and the craft of reggae made in Britain, live and unforced.