It's been ten years since Kevin Saunderson's first appearance in city and the originator lived up to his reputation with a fierce set of Detroit techno that referenced the past, but was keenly focused on the future. Surrounded by a near-capacity crowd on the first night of music from the futuristic Cube in downtown Winnipeg, Saunderson carefully controlled the mood, shifting between more upfront techno bangers and thoughtful house-inspired vocal tracks.
Cuts like Arkist's "Rendezvous," P-Ben's remix of Killed Kassette's "You" and Winnipeg's John Norman's "313" from Saunderson's own KMS Records kept the momentum building throughout his set, before cranking up the intensity even further for the last 20 minutes of his performance. From chord-driven techno that has been the foundation of the Detroit sound, to massive bass lines that were bursting with life, Saunderson reinforced why he is still one of the best in the business, even after nearly three decades behind the decks.