On Christmas Eve (Wednesday, Dec 24), ’Twas the Nite on the Boone & Crockett riverfront patio turns into a riverside singalong when Vic Ruggiero of The Slackers plugs in for a special solo set at 8pm (doors/party at 6).

Longtime frontman, songwriter, and all-purpose troublemaker for the cult-favorite ska/reggae institution, Vic brings lived-in songs that feel like late-night bar stories—crooked love songs, bittersweet ballads, and grin-in-the-dark hymns for people who stay for one more round. It’s part ska, part rocksteady, part rock & roll, all heart.

Expect stripped-down Slackers favorites and deep cuts, plus the kind of off-the-cuff crowd moments that only happen when it’s just a voice, a guitar, and a roomful of people who actually showed up—one minute a hush, the next a shout-along chorus with the whole bar suddenly in the band.

Add ’Twas the Nite’s hot and cold holiday cocktails, solid NAs, hot food, crackling fires by the river, and Hoan Bridge views, and you’ve got the move for Christmas Eve in Milwaukee: festive without being fussy, a little rowdy, a little nostalgic, and cozy enough for fun-loving grownups who want their holiday spirit loud, live, and slightly off the beaten path.