Dec 16

Dec 16 Show Review/Photos: The Slackers Bring Ska To Life in Berkeley

The Slackers
w/ Big D and the Kids Table, Bite Me Bambi
Cornerstone Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
December 8th, 2022

Photos and review by Jared Stossel

Last Thursday, some of the biggest and best names in third-wave ska took the stage for a vibrant night of good music and great vibes at Berkeley’s intimate Cornerstone. The packed crowd filtered in from the gloomy (but much needed) rainstorm to play witness to New York ska veterans The Slackers, who have been killing it in the scene since the early 1990s. For an hour and a half, the band made their way through a set comprised of hits and fan-favorites.

The show was opened by a burgeoning new act from Orange County, Bite Me Bambi, who combined elements of third-wave and 2-tone to produce an exciting half-hour set of delightful ska and punk. Their set was followed by Boston’s own Big D and the Kids Table, who put on my personal favorite set of the evening. The radically upbeat ska-punk outfit dove headfirst into a set celebrating the best of their decades-long career, with a number of songs being pulled from their 2007 album Strictly Rude (which is currently celebrating its fifteenth anniversary).

Around 10 PM, the six members that make up The Slackers took the stage for an extensive headlining set that proved to be the perfect cap to the evening. While the majority of the bands on the lineup evoked elements of punk, The Slackers featured the most eclectic array of influences, with songs that incorporated reggae, soul, rock, and even jazz.

One of the most amusing aspects of Thursday night’s show is the fact that Cornerstone Berkeley has a more intimate stage setup, so it was entertaining to watch bands with six or more members crowd together on the stage for their set. Even with tighter quarters, the energy in that building was delightful and filled with exuberance, the crowd dancing along to every song. From the bands to the fans, everyone in attendance truly enjoyed themselves, making The Slackers tour one of the happiest shows I’ve seen all year.

The Slackers Set List
Fried Chicken/Mary, Mary
And I Wonder?
I Still Love You
Boogie Nowhere
Time Won’t Set U Free
Work Song
New York Berlin
I Can’t Hide
Peculiar
Tell Them No
Boll Evil
I Almost Lost You
Old Dog
The Fool
What Went Wrong
Keep Him Away
Please Decide