Maxi Priest and UB40 coming to Nuku‘alofa [1]
Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 17:15. Updated on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 15:38.
Tonga is becoming a holiday concert stop-over for reggae super stars.
Following in the reggae footsteps fof Lucky Dube's successful Tonga concert earlier this year, will be the superstar reggae singer Maxi Priest who will stop over for one concert on December 14, to be followed by the popular reggae band UB40 for one concert on March 8, 2006.
Maxi Priest hailed as the second most successful reggae solo artist in the world, second only to Bob Marley, will arrive in Tonga from the United Kingdom with an 8-member band on December 12 and will perform a one night live concert on December 14 at the 'Atele Indoor Stadium.
After the Tongan concert Maxi Priest will fly to Fiji for a two-night performances in Nadi on December 16 and in Suva on December 17.
The Maxi Priest Nuku'alofa concert is made possible by Fresh Off the Boat of Australia (FOBA). The General Manager of FOBA, 'Aisea 'Aholelei said in Tonga today that Maxi Priest will perform in Sydney, Australia on December 9,and in Melbourne on December 10.
'Aisea said that FOBA thought that it would be a great idea to bring Maxi Priest to the Pacific Islands, to Tonga and Fiji.
Maxi Priest got into reggae music in 1985 but it was not until 1988 when he released "Some Guys Have All the Luck" a cover of Cat Stevens "Wild Wild World" that gave him his first U.S smash hit.
Tickets for Maxi Priest's concert are currently being sold in Nuku...alofa and there will be free admission for children under 10 years old.
UB40
UB40, the world...s most culturally diverse reggae band of eight musicians from the United Kingdom will perform in Nuku'alofa on March 8, 2006.
UB40 band members are Ali Campbell the lead vocal and guitar, his brother Robin Campbell the lead guitarist and vocals, Jimmy Brown on drums, Earl Falconer bass guitarist and vocals, Norman Hassan on the trombone and vocals, Brian Travers the saxophone, Mickey Virtue keyboards and Astro (Terrence Wilson) on the trumpet and vocals.
UB40 is best known in Tonga for their 1983 UK number 1 hit "Red Red Wine" and the 1993 \UK...s number one hit "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You". The band will tour Australia before coming to Tonga in March next year and then onward to Fiji.
'Aisea said that FOBA is planning to set up an office in Nuku...alofa in preparation for the visits of these two reggae bands.