Margate Summer Series 2025 - The Margate Reggae Festival
at Dreamland, Margate
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Appearing:
UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell
UB40 are Britain's greatest reggae artists and have survived more than 30 years in the music business and have clocked up more than 40 million record sales worldwide with songs like Kingston Town and Red, Red Wine. The summer of 1978 saw the eight members of the Birmingham band, soon to become UB40, drawn together by their love of Jamaican reggae. Taking their name from a notorious British unemployment form, the band played their first local gig in Birmingham in 1979, and spent the rest of the year performing at pubs and clubs around the UK. British radio legend John Peel was so impressed with the group's first demo tape that he invited them to perform on his Radio One show in 1980. At the same time, the band were also asked to support The Pretenders on their triumphant national tour. They released a Top 5 single in the UK in February 1980 and, in 1981, released a brace of albums, 'Present Arms' and 'Present Arms In Dub'. Their breakthrough came with the hit single, 'Red, Red Wine'. The song topped the British singles charts in 1983 and, after renewed promotion following the 1988 Nelson Mandela Concert at Wembley, the single reached the number 1 spot in the US. Only with Ali Campbell, the legendary voice of UB40, can audiences get to experience the closest thing to the sound of the hugely successful original line-up of UB40 as all the hits are played.
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Maxi Priest
Maxi Priest has unleashed universally appealing music that heals rejuvenates and uplifts. Since his 1988 debut, Maxi has enjoyed tremendous success with popularity and recognition around the world. In fact, second only to Bob Marley, he is considered by many to be the most successful reggae solo artist in the world!
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The Selecter
Formed in Coventry in 1979 The Selecter spearheaded the 2-tone movement along with The Specials and Madness. Fronted by Pauline Black, they first hit the airwaves with 'On My Radio', followed by countless other hit singles. Mixing punk, ska and reggae, their debut album 'Too Much Pressure' successfully reflected the social and political issues of the early Thatcher years in Britain and gave a voice to disaffected youth across the racial divide. The band split at the height of their popularity in 1981 but are now reformed and touring again with original lead singers Pauline Black and Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson.
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Mad Professor
Writer, producer and remixer Mad Professor (AKA Neil Fraser) started off his career as a service engineer for studio equipment. These days, however, you will find him mixing for the likes of Sade and The Orb.
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rated excellent
Dreamland
49-51 Marine Terrace
Margate
CT9 1XL
- Website:
- dreamland.co.uk
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on Sat 12 July 2025
