UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell: A Dream Come True - Beyond The Pit - By The Fans Magazine

UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell: A Dream Come True

Words & Review: Jenna Stoch

Photography Credit: Jenna Stoch & Benjy Stoch

This whole experience was an absolute dream come true from start to finish.

The journey began in Durban, where I was fortunate enough to photograph UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at the ICC.

As if that was not already surreal enough, I was also asked to manage the opening act from soundcheck all the way through to showtime, which was an incredible experience on its own.

After the Durban show, the photos were posted and the band engaged with them, which honestly felt unbelievable. Soon after, I was contacted by the UB40 management team and given AAA access to photograph the band again in Pretoria at SunBet Arena on the Saturday night. I could not believe it.

That access allowed me to step behind the curtain and capture intimate moments with the band before they walked onstage.

There is something so special about being backstage before a show of that size. The energy, the focus, the anticipation and the calm before the storm were all completely immaculate. It is difficult to put into words, but being there in those final moments before the band performed was something I will never forget.

Then came the moment the legendary Ali Campbell walked onto the Pretoria stage. Seeing that happen live was unexplainable. It was magical. The crowd erupted, the atmosphere shifted, and suddenly the entire arena was completely alive.

Both the Durban and Pretoria crowds were incredible. People were up, dancing, singing and loving every second. The energy in both venues was electric, and it reminded me exactly why UB40 has remained so loved for so many years. Their sound is timeless. It is warm, soulful and impossible not to move to. I mean, who doesn’t love reggae?

(Pssttt..spot our Jenna)

One of the biggest highlights came during the final song, when we were lucky enough to go onstage to capture that perfect hero shot of Ali Campbell with the crowd behind him. Seeing the audience from that perspective, with Ali in front of thousands of fans who were fully in the moment, was something truly special.

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell are living legends, and this show proved it in every possible way. From the music to the atmosphere, from the backstage moments to the crowd reactions, the entire experience was magnificent.

I am so grateful to Jack Campbell, Big Concerts, my dad and brother who accompanied me with photography and videography, and everyone else who helped make this possible. This was more than just another show. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one that will stay with me forever.

I can safely say I am now a die-hard UB40 featuring Ali Campbell fan. This show will always hold a very special place in my heart.