In 2014, BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong named Walker & Royce’s “Sister” an Essential New Tune—a co-sign that separates New York underground acts that keep circulating from those that actually break through. The duo plays Electric City in Buffalo on Friday, October 23. What to expect: deep house with hip-hop edges and R&B hooks, music that gets described as “emotive, subdued and groove-heavy” right up until the bassline comes in and you stop listening casually.
About the Show
Sam Walker and Gavin Royce met in 2005 as interns at Studio Distribution in New York City, long before they started making music together. Their first collaboration, a 2011 remix on Nervous Records, pulled recognition from Danny Daze and Damian Lazarus. Walker compared the moment to being “a struggling fashion designer” and suddenly seeing a celebrity wear your designs. That recognition opened a run of releases on Moda Black, Crosstown Rebels, and eventually Dirtybird. The “Sister” co-sign from Pete Tong in 2014 was a genuine turning point; XLR8R described them as “touted as future stars,” and praise from Maceo Plex and Adam Beyer followed. Around 2015, their sound shifted: “quirky accents and bouncy synths” that had previously been subtle became defining features of a more playful, grooved-out direction.
Their debut album Self Help landed in October 2017 on Dirtybird Records, featuring collaborators including Green Velvet and Sophiegrophy. Since then: a Rave Grave EP as the inaugural release on Diplo’s Higher Ground house imprint, collaborations with Ardalan, Chris Lake, and VNSSA, remixes for The Knocks and Justin Jay, and their own label, Rules Don’t Apply Records. Walker & Royce applies a simple production standard to everything they make: “Will we play this?” Dance-floor instinct drives the selection. Mixmag put it plainly: the sound has gotten “groovier, deeper, and even weirder.” The Buffalo show is part of a confirmed fall 2026 run that includes stops in Charlotte, Houston, Boston, and Detroit. No support acts are listed for this date.
Venue & Logistics
Electric City opened in 2024 in Buffalo’s Theater District, taking over the space that previously held Tralf Music Hall. The name references the city’s claim as “America’s first electrified city, thanks to Nikola Tesla’s brilliance in 1896.” Doors open at 7:00 p.m., show at 8:00 p.m. All ages.
Tickets
No ticket price was available from sources at the time of publication. Tickets are available through Prekindle. Buy tickets