UB40 to perform at Skydome Arena

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One of the biggest-selling bands in the history of British music is to play in Coventry at the Skydome Arena.



UB40 will perform at the ice rink which will be specially converted into a concert venue for the band on Friday, September 13.

And, far from getting cold feet about performing at the rink in Croft Road, city centre, the man behind the band’s classic horn sound has said the group is eagerly anticipating wowing the Coventry crowd.

UB40’s saxophonist Brian Travers said: “It’s always exciting to play a new venue, we have been performing for over 35 years and have played pretty much everywhere, so we are looking forward to it.

“A lot of big venues, like in Nottingham and Newcastle, have ice underneath but you would never know.

“They cover it up and you have a big dance floor area, which creates a nice intimate gig and is much better than playing to dots on the horizon.

“So often at big arenas the bright lights and the production dwarfs the performance, the music takes second place to the lights and the effects. But we are musicians at the end of the day!”

The band was at the peak of its powers in the 1980s and 1990s with hits including Red Red Wine, Can’t Help Falling in Love, Homely Girl and Kingston Town.

But it’s been a rocky road for UB40 over the past few years as lead singer Ali Campbell left the band to pursue a solo career in 2008.

Later the group’s members fell into financial difficulties which saw them forced to sell off their entire back catalogue.

But UB40’s staggering 120 million album sales underlines the appeal of the outfit across the globe and, with Ali’s brother Duncan stepping into the lead singer’s shoes, Travers is confident good times lay ahead for the group.

That feeling is summed up by the title of the band’s new album due for release on Monday, September 2 called ‘Getting Over The Storm’.

“We are on the right road now, we just got back from playing in Marbella in a wonderful converted stone quarry which seats about 10,000 people, then we are off to Switzerland and then Surrey before the gig in Coventry.

“We have a new singer and it’s going great. We were in Romania a month ago, then in Portugal, everything has really grown, it’s exciting, it’s really nice.

“I’m still absolutely enjoying it, I’m 54 and it’s the only job I’ve ever had!”

Despite the band’s global appeal, Travers admitted performing in the West Midlands brought back memories of how it all began.

“When we started off it was the time of 2 tone, with bands like The Specials and The Selecter; Coventry music,” he said.

“We are Birmingham lads, we’re from just down the road and we used to play at the uni in Coventry.

“At that time you couldn’t get a job in Birmingham or Coventry because of decisions made elsewhere which mean Birmingham suffers and Coventry suffers – 35 years on and nothing has changed!”

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Local band Mile Wide Stride to support reggae stars UB40 on UK tour



Reggae stars UB40 have asked five local musicians to support them on their UK tour.

Mile Wide Stride, who hail from Nuneaton and Bedworth, are set to open the tour with a gig at the Skydome this summer.

Reggae pop band UB40 scored a host of hits during their 80s heyday – including Red Red Wine – and have sold more than 70 million records.

And Mile Wide Stride have been taken into a studio by UB40 saxophonist Brian Travers to record their first EP.

They were first spotted by Travers two years ago playing in the former Jailhouse pub in Much Park Street, Coventry city centre.

The UB40 tour will see them play gigs at a number of ice rinks across the UK including other Planet Ice venues in Peterborough, the Isle of Wight and Cardiff.

Singer songwriter Nathan Russell, of Hazel Close, Nuneaton, said: “It’s brilliant.

“It is everything we’ve been working towards for the past couple of years because we were fortunate enough to cross paths with Brian Travers.

“The Skydome gig is going to be awesome. I think we’re going to be the first band ever to play it because we’ll be first up as support. We’re really looking forward to it.”

The 31-year-old former Hartshill School pupil is joined by brothers and fellow Nuneaton residents Chris Erdeley on guitar and Steve Erdeley on keyboard. The band is completed by drummer Spencer Walker from Bedworth and Australian Zane McRae on bass.

Nathan was playing in another local band six years ago before jacking it in to go busking around Australia. He returned and formed Mile Wide Stride two years ago.

UB40 were nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times and in 1984 were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group.

Since winning the support of Brian Travers, the UB40 founding member has attracted another hero of theirs – Ocean Colour Scene guitarist Steve Cradock – to record a track with Mile Wide Stride. The band list their influences as David Bowie, the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.

“It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind really” Nathan added. “One minute we were playing for fun and the next we’re supporting UB40 in front of thousands in the Skydome.

“Live music has been under attack of late with lots of venues closing but we’re living proof that getting out there and gigging is worthwhile.”

The Skydome gig was originally scheduled for June but has been rescheduled for September 13 due to delays with UB40’s new album.