The Slackers Get "Rude and Reckless" at Brighton Bar

Celebrating 20 years of “slackdom,” The Slackers packed the Brighton Bar Friday night for their brand of ska, rocksteady and soul dubbed “Jamaican rock and roll.”

Touring the nation in support of their new album, “The Great Rocksteady Swindle,” The Slackers treated the all-ages audience to a double encore set of their biggest hits, but also some surprise cover songs.

The set included covers of the Misfits’ “Attitude,” Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive” and an instrumental rendition of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine.”

The band has a reputation for putting on a lively and entertaining show that keeps the audience dancing, and the West End venue performance kept that Slackers tradition alive.

Opening for the band was local punk act Faber. The Slackers’ set list spanned the band’s catalog, whether playing “I Still Love You” off the 1997 “Red Light” album or “Everyday is Sunday” off 2006’s “Peculiar.”

Check out our video of lead singer and keyboardist Vic Ruggiero’s solo on “Ain’t No Sunshine” before the band roars into their original song “The Nurse.”

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