The Selecter

On 17 December 2026 The Selecter will play at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht. The band from Coventry, formed in 1979, belongs to the 2 Tone generation that blends Jamaican ska, British pop and a dose of punk energy. With frontwoman Pauline Black and guitarist Neol Davies, The Selecter set the tone back then with "On My Radio", followed by "Too Much Pressure" and "Celebrate the Bullet". Live, the focus is on tight rhythms, angular guitar accents and short, catchy brass lines, with lyrics that address social tensions and racism without mincing words.

The group has expanded on that foundation over the years: from The Happy Album and Rebirth to String Theory, Subculture, Daylight and the recent Human Algebra, where ska, reggae, pop and a touch of new wave intersect. Expect a set that places the early classics alongside newer material, with Pauline Black at the centre and that distinctive 2 Tone swing that gets you moving straight away. Not a nostalgia show, but a band that keeps its own formula current—rhythmically tight and refreshingly no-nonsense.