I distinctly remember the first time I heard Roni Size.  It was the summer of 1998 and my friends and I were just starting to get over our "horrible taste" phase, familiarizing ourselves with all of the electronic music we could get our hands on.  After tearing through the usual suspects like Chemical Brothers, Orbital, Prodigy and Underworld, Roni Size's New Forms made it into the rotation. I remember thinking what the hell is this?  It wasn't off the wall alienating drum 'n bass a la Squarepusher, nor was it meditative armchair drum 'n bass like LTJ Bukem, this was.... funky.  As a bass player, I was often underwhelmed by the emphasis on the drums side of the equation over the bass, which still seems to predominate much of the genre today.  However, when the first bars of "Brown Paper Bag" hit me, I was gobsmacked.  It was, and still is, a classic bass line, one so enduring it led Size to remake the album in 2008 with what he described as a "new coat of armour added to the original tracks".   

I hate throwing hyperbole around, but Buffalo is in the presence of greatness tonight, kicking off a weekend that is packed to the brim with great electronic music, including Queen City Cartel's Field Day and MNM Presents Capsized Boat Cruise.  When New Forms was first released, that kind of weekend was unthinkable in the Queen City, and it's a testament to the hard working promoters and enthusiastic fans that it's possible today.  Roni Size will be flanked by supporting acts Hoogs, D.A. Dogg, DJ Loki, Perceptor, and a special all-vinyl room featuring DJ 3PO and McNasty.  Show is at 10 pm and it's all ages, so get down to Town Ballroom and get an education.

For a more comprehensive look at the Memorial Weekend festivities, check out James Wild's Drum Machine Report.