Words: Sophie Thompson

The third night of Forest Live at Cannock Chase was a reggae filled evening as UB40 featuring Ali Campbell transformed Cannock Chase into a Caribbean summer. From the very moment they stepped out on stage they had thousands of fans singing and dancing until the very end. 

Before the main event reggae DJ and vocalist Reggae Roast & Horseman did exactly what any opening act should, filling the forest with infectious Jamaican rhythms and warming up the audience for the main act. Horseman’s energetic performance and crowd interaction quickly got the crowd engaged while taking on familiar reggae classics with confidence and style which felt just like the originals. 

Bitty McLean followed, whose smooth, mellow vocals proved to be the perfect setting as the sun began to set over Cannock Chase Forest. From the very moment McLean set foot on stage the crowd were on their feet. He has his own personal catalogue of reggae classics including: ‘The Real Thing” and ‘Walk Away from Love’. 

The sun had set over Cannock Chase and Ali Campbel and UB40 took to the stage with the entire crowd swaying along to every beat in perfect harmony. Campbell let the music do the talking as he kept his interactions to the crowd a minimum whilst allowing a non-stop stream of classic reggae songs to carry the evening. 

Despite being 67 Campbell’s instantly recognisable voice remains still just as remarkably strong as it was in 1990. Decades after first defining the sound of British reggae music he transported fans right back the 80s through a catalogue of covers and originals which stood the test of time. 

The setlist for the evening showcased the breadth of Ub40’s massive appeal opening their set with Ali Campbell’s ‘Big Love’ before going into the UB40 classic ‘One in Ten’. What followed was a series of Ub40’s greatest hits as well as some of their infamous covers including the likes of The Chi-Lites ‘Homely Girl’ and Johnny Osbourne’s ‘Come Back Darling’. 

Throughout the night, Campbell was backed by a superb tight brass section and a band whose rich arrangements paid homage to the legendary reggae sound which had always been the backbone of UB40’s identity. 

The most striking aspect of the evening was the audience itself. Forest Live attracts a multi-generational crowd with parents and children of all ages dancing and singing every word together. Very few bands can unite such a wide demographic, but UB40 continues to have a timeless appeal across generations. 

The atmosphere reached its peak after the encore as the unmistakable opening of ‘Red Red Wine’ rang through the forest, quickly followed by ‘Kingston Town’. Thousands of voices 

joined together for every word before the evening closed with their legendary rendition of Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ prompting one final sing along beneath the Cannock Chase trees. 

More than four decades after emerging from Birmingham Ali Campbell and UB40 show no sign of stopping. Based on the reaction inside Cannock Chase their catalogue seems just as strong as it did all those years ago. Campbell and UB40 look set to remain a key aspect of British live music scene as long as audiences continue to sing every word and dance to every beat.