UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell Set To Thrill Kampala With Spectacular Kololo Independence Grounds Performance

It’s Official! The iconic ‘UB40 featuring Ali Campbell’ is set to captivate Kampala on December 21st, 2023, at the Kololo Independence Grounds. Ali Campbell, the legendary voice, founding member, songwriter, and lead singer of UB40, will be leading this unforgettable musical extravaganza.

‘UB40 featuring Ali Campbell’ is a globally renowned touring band that consistently sells out concerts and graces major festivals around the world. This upcoming event will see a dedicated team of 20 individuals, comprising the full band, management, and production crew, jet into Uganda a few days in advance of the grand show.

It’s essential to note that UB40 currently exists in two factions, ‘UB40 featuring Ali Campbell’ and the other ‘UB40,’ both of which hold legal rights to stage performances.

During a press conference, Aly Alibhai, the Talent Africa boss, and his partners reassured the public of Ali Campbell’s forthcoming performance with his band. He addressed the recent confusion surrounding UB40’s tour plans, stating, “When I received information that UB40 had suggested they wouldn’t perform and might be undermining our show, I promptly reached out to Ali for clarification, and I can confirm that the issue is being addressed.”

Alibhai went on to emphasize that Ali Campbell has consistently represented the face and sound of UB40. “Ali Campbell is the epitome of UB40, and there is no UB40 without him,” he affirmed. This event promises to be a celebration of this enduring musical legacy, showcasing Ali Campbell’s remarkable contribution to UB40’s success.

The Beef, how it all started;

UB40 from which Ali Campbell started from, claims that their management is not aware of the show and want to make it clear, the claims are completely untrue and that the band hopes to return to Uganda in the future.

They pin former vocalist Ali Campbell, who left UB40 over 15 years ago in 2008, who is set to perform in Uganda as a liar purporting to feature the original band.

Here is the full statement by UB40;

UB40 sincerely apologizes to fans in Uganda and clarifies that we will NOT be performing in the upcoming concert, which is falsely billed as “UB40”, or” UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell.”

The official UB40 group distances itself from the upcoming show in Uganda, taking place at Kololo Independence Grounds on December 21st, following headlines and publications promoting a ‘UB40’ concert, hailing a return for the first time since 2008.

Promoting partners at ‘Africa Talent Group’ are quoted in a YouTube video saying, “This will be the second and last time UB40 will be coming to Uganda.”

UB40’s management wants to make it clear, the claims are completely untrue and that the band hopes to return to Uganda in the future.

Former vocalist Ali Campbell, who left UB40 over 15 years ago in 2008, is currently slated to perform in Uganda, purporting to feature the original band. He is touring with the name “UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell..” However, there are in fact no members of UB40 in this group and ex-member Ali Campbell is misleading fans and the general public by billing the tour as UB40 and UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell.

There is not a single member of UB40 in Ali Campbell’s backing group – and none of his band have ever performed with UB40, or contributed to a UB40 record.

The official UB40 band wishes to make it clear that a current concert is in NO way associated with UB40 and the founding members of the legendary group. The show on the 21st December will see Mr. Ali Campbell being accompanied by a backing band of session musicians.

4 out of 5 of the surviving founding members of UB40, Robin Campbell, Jimmy Brown, Earl Falconer and Norman Hassan, have remained in UB40 and have been touring and releasing albums globally for 45 years. UB40 wishes to disassociate themselves from this falsehood and hopes to return to Uganda and the African continent in the near future.

In response to the UB40 statement, Alibhai said he was copied in a very strong message sent by UB40 feat. Ali Campbell’s bookings manager Gary Howard to Matt, UB40 manager to desist from interferences of the concert.

“If you feel you still have a legal dispute with Ali using the name, I suggest you speak to your lawyers and have them contact Robert and Bill. I urge you to stop harassing the people we are working with and just as we are, concentrate on your own business,” reads part of Gary’s statement.

Alibhai revealed that all the two bands are legally using UB40 and Campbell has all the rights to perform any UB40 song across the globe unlike those produced by the band when he left to form his own in 2008.

According to the email sent by Gary to Matt, where Gary was warning Matt to let UB40 ft Ali Campbell do its thing like it has been doing, the email was sent on Monday 23, 23.

The email to Matt, copied in all the two faction lawyers, band members and managers plus Ugandan promoters, reads, “When Ali Campbell put his band, UB40, together, his goal and ambition was to take reggae music to the masses globally, something he has continually achieved doing.

Since leaving the original set up of UB40 not only has Ali continued to tour using the name UB40, he has also continued to release successful Top Ten Albums, something which the former members of his band haven’t.”

Since leaving the original set up of UB40 his former band members, despite their claims, have unsuccessfully via the legal system tried to stop using the name UB40. In the past few years alone UB40 feat Ali Campbell has toured over 70 countries in arenas and stadiums and on TV shows and festivals without any legal challenge or dispute.

Part of the email clearly states that, “For the record, there is no court or judge in the world that has ever told Ali Campbell that he cannot use the name UB40 at all, whether it’s to perform or to release new material.

Ali Campbell has never at any point tried to stop his former band mates from using the name UB40. Ali’s shows are clearly advertised as UB40 Feat. Ali Campbell and this is in place, so that fans clearly know they are getting the original singer who sang on all of the hits, bar our dearly beloved Astros’ “Rat in Mi Kitchen.”

It should however be noted that, the former members of Ali’s band never mention that Ali is not performing with them despite continually using footage of Ali to promote their shows.

But what we will say is this; Ali Campbell will continue to do what he set out to do when he formed UB40, and that is to record, and perform the hits of UB40 that he was the lead singer of and spread his love of Reggae music globally.”

One of the UB40 band members Robin Campbell who also doubles as Ali Campbell’s brother said, “For the record, UB40 was a band that Ali formed after receiving compensation from the injury he sustained, making him the founding member of the band-Robin Campbell.

Make no mistake; UB40 would never have existed if it wasn’t for Ali. Not only was he the catalyst but he was the reason I was interested.” “If Earl, Jimmy and Brian, say, had asked me to be in the band, I’d say, No thanks but when Ali said; We’re serious, “I believed him, particularly since he was prepared to put his compensation money into it. Having a few thousand quid back then was like having a fortune.”

This extra-ordinary concert is proudly powered by Talent Africa and NBS at 15. Tickets go on sale on October 25th via www.tagticketing.com. Don’t miss out!