Review: UB40's Tribute to Astro at Utilita Arena Birmingham

The emotional event was a celebration of the life of the homegrown trumpeter and percussionist who passed away on November 6 last year, aged 64, following a short illness.

Reggae fans turned out in their droves to sing and dance the night away when the tour, featuring Ali Campbell, rolled into the city's National Indoor Arena on Saturday night featuring their best known covers as well as new material.

The 10-man band, including two vocalists, took to the stage after warm up dancehall act Reggae Roast with a typical thumping Jamaican sound system feel which set the tone for the show which was attended by members of Astro's family including his widow Dawn Wilson.

Frontman Ali Campbell, clearly feeling emotional spoke only briefly, saying: "Thank you Birmingham. It's good to be home. Birmingham made me."

He opened the lively celebration with Al Green's Here I am, then The Temptations The Way You Do The Things You Do and Homely Girl.

In a tight set, these were followed by a string of hits like Groovin', Eric Donaldson's Cherry Oh Baby and One in Ten, featuring a great guitar solo by Campbell. The original video for One in Ten was was shot in Russia and seemed an apt nod to recent events in Ukraine.

Others included Jimmy Cliff's soulful ballad Many Rivers to Cross and Elvis Presley's I Can't Help Falling in Love.

Mid show, ahead of a further video montage of Astro rapping and dancing with the band, Campbell said: "Make some noise and put your hands together for my brother Astro."

Images of Astro performing in his inimitable style were projected, attracting huge cheers from the crowd who sang along with the video to U-Roy's Wear You to the Ball and Rat in Mi Kitchen.

There was also a moment to remember Jamaican drum and bass star Robbie Shakespeare of Sly and Robbie fame, who died in December, aged 68.

Campbell gave an excellent performance and was in fine voice, although more mellow, and performed new track Unprecedented and, for the first time, the beautiful new track Come back Tomorrow, which seemed to go down a treat with the audience.

Campbell closed the show saying, "Birmingham you have great night" before launching into one of the band's signature hits, Neil Diamond's Red Red Wine, of course joined by Astro on video rapping.

The thoroughly enjoyable show ended on a sombre note without an encore, but simply with album snaps of Astro, a Rastafarian, on the screen.

UB40 fan Richard Timmis, from Walsall, said: "It was a great tribute to Astro from his home fans in Birmingham. It took me back to the first time I saw them in 1990 at what was then the old NEC Arena for their Labour of Love II Tour.

"I love that their music doesn't age and appeals to all generations. When they showed Astro singing 'I'm gonna take you to the ball tonight' the whole arena went wild. He will be missed. 'RIP Astro'."

Astro, real name Terence Wilson, joined UB40 in 1979, but left in 2013 and went on to perform with Campbell following a split.

The Birmingham-based group took its name after a government unemployment benefit form and sold more than 70 million records.

It has been a difficult seven months for the wider UB40 family which has also seen the passing of another founder member, saxophonist Brian Travers, who died, aged 62, last August.