A summer’s night, good friends, chilled drinks and reggae – does life get much better than that? It certainly doesn’t for UB40’s Astro.

The rapper has been with the band since it was formed in 1978 in Birmingham and is looking forward to being in Kent this June.

He said: “I personally can’t wait, Canterbury is a beautiful location. I hope the weather is right so that people can come out with their picnic blankets.”

The band last took to the stage in the city alongside the Pretenders in the early 1980s, just before they made an indelible impression on British music with tracks such as Red Red Wine, Food For Thought, Kingston Town and One in Ten.

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue will aim to cram as many of their greatest hits – and there’s plenty of them – into their two-hour show this summer but fans may also get to hear some of the tracks from the new album, Unplugged.

“When I look into the audience I see older people as well as kids in their teens and they know all our songs,” said Astro, 59.

“The kids are growing up listening to their mum and dad’s records and UB40 has been put in their heads. It’s beautiful.”

'We get on stage, have a party and have a laugh, and that vibe comes across'

The band have released more than 50 UK singles including UK No.1s Red Red Wine, I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You and I Got You Babe which they performed with Chrissie Hynde.

In Canterbury Astro will be appearing alongside original frontman Ali Campbell and keyboard player Mickey Virtue.

Ali’s brothers Duncan and Robin Campbell now tour with a different band also under the UB40 name, but Astro said: “I’m not sure what the others are doing, but it is nothing on the scale of what we are embarking on.

“We get on stage, have a party and have a laugh, and that vibe comes across. We are on a mission that is nowhere near finished – we are going to be here for a while.”

DETAILS

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue will be bringing their music to Canterbury this June for the first time since the 1980s.

The trio, backed by an eight-piece reggae band, will be playing at the home of Kent cricket – the Spitfire Ground in Old Dover Road – on Saturday, June 3.

They will be supported in Canterbury by Level 42.

Tickets at ticketmaster.co.uk