UB40 is a British reggae and pop band formed in Birmingham in 1978. The band has had over 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart and has also achieved considerable international success. Their signature tune and best-known song is “Red Red Wine”.
The length of a typical UB40 concert can vary depending on the venue and format of the show. However, most UB40 concerts tend to run between 1.5 to 2.5 hours including encore. This includes their headline shows as well as festival performances.
Average Setlist Length
UB40’s live setlists consist of around 20-25 songs on average. Their setlists span their entire career but focus mostly on their classic hits from the 1980s and early 90s.
Some of their most popular live songs are “Red Red Wine”, “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, “Kingston Town”, “Cherry Oh Baby”, “Food for Thought” and more.
So with about 20-25 songs played, if each song lasts around 4 minutes on average, that’s about 80-100 minutes of core performance time.
Typical 20 Song Setlist
Red Red Wine |
Cherry Oh Baby |
Kingston Town |
Can’t Help Falling in Love |
Groovin’ (Out On Life) |
Here I Am (Come and Take Me) |
Food for Thought |
Don’t Break My Heart |
If It Happens Again |
Sing Our Own Song |
Rat in Mi Kitchen |
Homely Girl |
One in Ten |
I Got You Babe |
Please Don’t Make Me Cry |
(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love with You |
Bring Me Your Cup |
Promises and Lies |
Many Rivers to Cross |
The Way You Do the Things You Do |
Encore Songs
The band typically returns to the stage after a brief break for a 2-4 song encore. Their most common encore songs are their biggest hits like:
- “Red Red Wine”
- “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
- “Cherry Oh Baby”
- “Kingston Town”
So with the encore, it brings the total setlist length to about 22-27 songs on average.
Opening Acts
For their own headlining concerts and tours, UB40 may have an opening act perform before they take the stage. The opening act typically performs for 30-45 minutes.
Some examples of artists who have opened for UB40 on tour include:
- Maxi Priest
- Bitty McLean
- Inner Circle
- Jo Mersa Marley
- Black Uhuru
- Freddie McGregor
So the opening act can add another 30-45 minutes before UB40 comes on.
Stage Production
As a successful touring band for over 40 years, UB40 puts on a full-scale production for their concerts.
In addition to the music performance, their shows include:
- Lighting effects and lasers
- Backdrop visuals and graphics on the stage screens
- Costume changes for the band members
- An extended instrumental solo section for each member
- Audience participation and sing-alongs
- Short impromptu jams between songs
The production elements help extend the show length and add more entertainment value for fans. The costumes, solos and jams also pad out more time.
Tour Format Affects Length
Whether UB40 is performing a single headline show, part of a multi-act festival or is the opening act can impact the setlist length.
Headline Concert
At their own solo concerts and tours, UB40 will perform a full 90+ minute production as the main event. These shows tend to run between 1.5-2.5 hours.
Music Festival
When playing large festivals with multiple artists on the lineup, UB40 may perform a slightly shortened set. Festival sets are typically 60-90 minutes.
Opening Act
If UB40 is opening for another major artist on tour, their set will be limited to around 45-60 minutes.
So the format and context of the performance can result in shorter or longer show lengths compared to their full headline concerts.
Factors that Shorten/Lengthen Shows
Some other factors that can influence the duration of UB40’s live shows include:
- Venue curfews – Some venues have strict cutoff times which requires shows to end by a certain hour. This can shorten concerts if there is an earlier curfew.
- Technical issues – Technical difficulties with sound, lighting etc can cause unexpected delays that lengthen shows.
- Audience size – Smaller intimate venues may warrant slightly shorter sets vs huge arena shows designed for maximum duration.
- Band health – Illness or other issues forcing band members to leave the stage early could shorten some performances.
- Encore demands – If the crowd is enthusiastic, UB40 may perform 1 or 2 extra songs during the encore.
So while most UB40 shows fall into the 1.5-2.5 hour range, these factors can occasionally result in shorter or longer concert experiences.
Setlist Variations Between Tour Legs
UB40 frequently changes up their setlist between different legs and phases of their tours. While they have a pool of popular staple songs, they like to mix in different album cuts, rarities and cover songs depending on the tour.
This helps keep both the band and fans excited, putting a fresh spin on each new round of touring. It also allows them to showcase different eras and genres within their vast catalog at different shows.
So the setlist length remains relatively stable, but the song selections vary across their never-ending global touring schedule.
Conclusion
In summary, most UB40 concerts run between 90 minutes to 2.5 hours including encore songs and opening acts when applicable. Their own headline shows at midsize venues typically last 1.5-2 hours. Meanwhile truncated festival sets can be as short as 60-90 minutes.
The exact show length varies based on the tour format, production elements, venue curfews and other external factors. But their eclectic setlists of 20-25 songs along with additional encore tracks generally result in 1.5-2.5 hours of live reggae and pop nostalgia at each UB40 concert.
So for fans debating on whether to catch a UB40 show, they can expect a lengthy night of singing and dancing along to the band’s many enduring hit songs.
Reference List
- https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/ub40-bd684a2.html – Setlist history and concert archives
- https://www.songkick.com/artists/450914-ub40/calendar – Tour itinerary and schedule
- https://www.ubersetzung.at/lyrik/ub40.htm – Collection of UB40 lyrics and song translations
- https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/ub40 – UB40 tour dates and ticket listings
- https://www.liveabout.com/ub40-concerts-2456203 – Live show and performance review