Images: The Slackers, Viernes 13, Be Like Max, Show Me Island May 5, 2016 at Vinyl Las Vegas

One thing I love about Vinyl, (the venue located inside the Hard Rock Hotel on Paradise that isn’t called “The Joint”) is how close you can get to the bands. It just feels so much better when you can get right up to the stage and see your favorite bands play, especially if one of those bands is ska/punk legends The Slackers. Plus, the stage is pretty wide so you have a good view no matter where you stand.

Salt Lake City’s Show Me Island kicked off my night of ska and reggae. Included in the band’s set was a cover of “Valerie,” a song originally by The Zutons and made popular in recent years by Amy Winehouse. The band, which featured seven members, was the very definition of “chill” and “laid back,” and won me over thanks to the beautiful voice of Lauren Hoyt. The crowd seemed to agree, dancing throughout the band’s set.

Representing the local scene was my favorite band of all time – ska punk band Be Like Max. And if you think my excitement would be diminished by how often I get to see then, you’d be wrong. It’s even more exciting seeing the band on a stage like Vinyl supporting a band like The Slackers. A lot of people seemed to agree, with fans dancing and singing along to tracks like “My Friends Are Alcoholics” and “Sin City Rude Kids,” both from the band’s most recent release Against All Odds. Seeing them at a show like this where they weren’t the headliner, it was fun watching people in the crowd who had never even heard of the band before slowly convert to fans. Hopefully those new faces come out to support the band at Punk Rock bowling later this month.

The Slackers brought with them Viernes 13, who were out in support of their new album Thirteen Rules. The LA band played a nice mix of Spanish and English songs with a very classic ska feel, though maybe a little more upbeat. Once again the stage was full as all 8 members wowed the crowd with very danceable 2 tone influenced ska. The band got the crowd skanking early on and continued throughout their set, which included a fan request for the song “The Lucky One.”

Finally it was time for The Slackers. The lights dimmed and the crowd got quiet, anticipation for the PRB veterans at its peak. Drummer Ara Babajien was the first one on stage, followed slowly by the rest of the band as the crowd began to cheer. They blasted through a two hour set of hits, including “Keep It Simple,” “By the Time I Get to Sleep” and “Watch This,” to an excited crowd of fans singing and dancing. Literally everywhere I looked, there was someone dancing and it was one of the coolest things I’ve been a part of, everyone was so chill and having a good time.  There is no doubt that The Slackers are one of the best ska bands of all time, and this show just cemented that opinion.

-Margaret Schmitt | http://margaretschmitt.wix.com/margaretschmitt