The Slackers

The Slackers land in Victoria on May 31, 2026 at Studio 919 with the New York ska sound they’ve shaped since the early ’90s. Built around singer-keyboardist Vic Ruggiero and saxophonist Dave Hillyard, the sextet folds ska, rocksteady and roots reggae into shades of soul, R&B and garage rock. On stage, it’s a mid‑tempo pulse, warm organ lines, crisp horns and storytelling vocals that drift between melancholy and dry wit, carried by a rhythm section that favors groove over speed.

The set draws across their catalog, from Redlight and The Question through Wasted Days and Peculiar, to recent tracks from Don’t Let The Sunlight Fool Ya. Off‑beat guitar, dub‑tinged breaks and melodic horn replies keep the songs front and center while leaving space for the choruses to linger. Whether they lean into a rocksteady sway or a lean ska shuffle, The Slackers play it close and direct, with arrangements that breathe and hooks that stick. Victoria, Studio 919, May 31: a long‑running NYC ska outfit up close, roots to present.