Roni Size being back in Birmingham for the second time this year is proof that lightning does indeed strike twice, and his electric take on drum & bass is sure to leave the Hare and Hounds sizzling. If you aren’t familiar with Size, he’s the main man behind Reprazent, seminal D&B band who turned a genre with urban roots into a huge, arena-filling phenomenon. With this venture into more mainstream territory, Reprazent laid the groundwork for future crossover successes penned by the likes of Rudimental and Wilkinson, injecting the propulsive, aggressive sound of drum & bass with a stronger sense of melody and a stadium rock sensibility. It was a necessary progression for a genre that could have become dangerously insular without innovators like Size to push things forward – a genre which today has fragmented off into myriad other, incredibly varied subgenres and microgenres, from neurofunk to techstep. To put it simply, Size is important, and we Birmingham faithful are truly blessed to get a chance to witness his second coming this July.

Sun 13 July, Hare & Hounds, 106 High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7JZ, 9pm-3am, £16.50, www.skiddle.com