Johnny2Bad, also known as J2B, is a powerhouse 8-piece band from Birmingham, UK, that performs the music of UK reggae legends UB40. Now fully endorsed by Ali Campbell himself during a national TV interview, the band presents a spectacular, electrifying, high-energy live show with a unique twist. They deliver all the hits and classics, including Here I Am, Homely Girl, Happens Again, Kingston Town, Baby Come Back, Can’t Help Falling in Love, Red Red Wine, Cherry Oh Baby, One in Ten, and Food for Thought, getting audiences in both the UK and Europe up dancing and singing from start to finish.
J2B truly brings the show to life, infusing every high-octane performance with their driving “wow factor” personalities, synchronized dance moves, and a horn section and lead vocalist who regularly venture right out into the crowd. Expanding their horizons, the band has also begun releasing original music and has collaborated with the acclaimed Freddie McGregor tribute band, Big Ship Alliance.
Members of Johnny2Bad have supported and toured with an array of legendary artists on major worldwide tours, including Pato Banton and The Reggae Revolution, Sting, Santana, Peter Gabriel, The Beat with Ranking Roger, Dreadzone, The Selecter, The Moulettes, Skatalites, Jimmy Cliff, Third World, Morgan Heritage, Shaggy, and Maxi Priest. Notably, under their previous original band moniker XOVA, they supported Ali Campbell, Astro, and Mikey of UB40 during their 2014 and 2015 sold-out UK tours at the London O2 Arena, Hatfield House, and Burghley House, as well as Lincoln Castle in 2016.
A History of Sold-Out Global Performances
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2016–2017: The band performed numerous sold-out shows across the UK and Holland, including high-profile sets at ‘Reggae Night’ in Nijmegen, ‘Zomergeblaos Fest’ in Hilvarenbeek, and the Assen TT Festival in front of an audience of over 8,000 people. They followed this with a massive 5,000-capacity tent headline slot at GlastonBarry Tribute Fest in Wales, the Somerset Tribute Festival, the Derby Sausage Fest, and the sold-out Dorpsfeest Stoke City Live Fest in Holland.
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2018–2019: J2B continued their momentum by supporting Chic Le Freak and Sister Sledge at The Apex in Suffolk, performing alongside Susan Cadogan (Hurt So Good), and headlining major UK and Dutch festivals. In 2019, they reached new heights with a string of instant sell-outs, including Bristol’s Sartan Club—where tickets vanished in a record four days—alongside high-profile charity appearances with actor Will Mellor.
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2022–2023: Following the global pandemic, the band achieved record attendances headlining Tribfest in Yorkshire, co-headlining Skadiff Fest in Cardiff, and smashing debuts at refurbished church venue The Dome in Holland. By popular demand, they were booked for consecutive appearances at Central Park in Plymouth, including a major support slot for The Dualers at “Live in the Park.”
The Legacy Continues
The band has successfully launched their new “UB40-Legacy Show by Johnny2Bad,” embarking on an extensive UK theater tour that began in early 2024 at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable and continues to pack out venues nationwide.
Highly decorated in the industry, Johnny2Bad won the Universal Inspiration Award for Entertainment and was a finalist for Best Tribute Act at the National Entertainment Awards. Backed by a strong digital presence—including their pandemic-lockdown collaboration track All In This Thing Together and hit singles I Love You and Spotlight Love—J2B is completely self-contained and comfortable performing on any stage across the UK, Europe, or worldwide.
