If you grew up listening to ‘Red Red Wine’ on a college radio station, Friday, April 17 at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater was your night.
UB40 featuring Ali Campbell — the touring iteration led by the band’s iconic original lead vocalist — took the stage at 8 PM in front of a sold-out beachside crowd, blending the classic Birmingham reggae catalog with cuts from the band’s later studio work. Tickets, which started at $63, had been moving steadily for weeks before disappearing entirely the day of the show.
What it sounded like
The setlist hit all the touchstones: ‘Red Red Wine’ early in the show to set the tone, ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ as a mid-set crowd-pleaser, and a long, brass-heavy version of ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You’ that turned the lawn into a slow-dancing sea. Campbell’s voice has a slightly weathered quality at this point in his career — in the best way — and the horn section was tight enough to remind you why UB40’s signature sound has aged so well.
The Amphitheater experience
If you haven’t been to a show at the Amphitheater recently, here’s what’s worth knowing:
- Parking: Get there 45–60 minutes early. The lots fill up fast, and street parking gets tricky after 7 PM.
- Food and drink: Concessions are reasonable for a venue this size; bring a credit card. Alcohol is served until about 30 minutes before show end.
- Seats vs. lawn: The reserved pavilion seats are great if you want a guaranteed view; the lawn is cheaper and arguably more fun if the weather is good.
- Sound quality: The Amphitheater’s open-air sound is solid — not festival-grade, but more than enough for the kind of band that knows how to fill a venue.
What’s coming up
The Amphitheater’s spring schedule keeps the genre roulette going. SatchVai Band — Joe Satriani and Steve Vai’s instrumental rock supergroup — hits the stage on Wednesday, April 22 at 7 PM, with tickets starting around $61. Later in the season, the venue cycles through country, classic rock, and Latin music acts as the summer schedule fills out.
If UB40 sells out again next year (they almost certainly will), grab tickets the day they go on sale. Reggae nights at this venue have become a Pompano Beach tradition.
