This can be a transcript of an interview with Yob the Delectable — DJ, musician, and figurehead of the Tallahassee rave collective GRIFT. For the final yr or so, Yob has been curating and internet hosting raves throughout Tallahassee, the primary of which was within the now condemned Coca-Cola warehouse off of Gaines St. Void Community, the most recent of his occasions I attended, was held earlier this yr and cohosted with fellow native rave collective Subsidian Presents. Yob and I sat down a month or so after the occasion to speak about GRIFT, hard-earned classes from his first yr of occasion organizing, his personal efficiency at Void Community, and extra. Please, take pleasure in.
WA: So, the primary time we met was on the warehouse [during GRIFT 1] and I forgot after — and I’ve very hazy recollections of that point simply because I’ve a horrible reminiscence. So A: sorry, I really feel dangerous for not remembering our dialog —
YOB THE DELECTABLE: Oh, all good.
… and I believe that that was one of many final raves — like a pure, precise rave — on the warehouse, which is attention-grabbing.
Yeah.
However for people who find themselves unfamiliar with GRIFT, what’s GRIFT and when was the thought for GRIFT born?
So, GRIFT is a rave collective that myself and my two pals and collaborators Justin and Alex began in January or February of 2025. Which, Justin and Alex have their very own occasion organizing firm [SCAMS, or SUPER COOL AWESOME MUSIC STUDIO], in addition to a music studio which additionally features as a manufacturing firm — within the sense of AV.
I’m into a little bit bit extra obscure genres of digital music, and I wasn’t pleased with the exhibits that I noticed happening in Tallahassee. I needed to begin doing one thing completely different and safer than a number of the extra in style raves I’ve seen in Tallahassee. That’s just about it. I simply needed to see the occasions that I needed to go to occurring right here.
And what’s the relation like with SCAMS? My understanding is that you’re fairly tightly associated, or [GRIFT] is a aspect of it, so how do expertise, sources, and assist move between the organizations?
It’s tight I might say. I dwell with Justin and Alex. They’re my greatest pals —
Oh — properly (laughs).
And GRIFT is — (laughter) — it makes issues straightforward. GRIFT is type of part of SCAMS. The distinction is mainly that I plan the imaginative and prescient for the occasions and so they assist with their connections and audio gear. They’ll assist with planning manufacturing and so they’ll get me connections with venues or artists. So far as relationships go, we’re actually tightly knit.
Did it take you some time to appreciate, “Okay, I’ve to do my very own factor”? It’s simply that there’s a large distinction between “I’m not seeing what I wish to see within the scene I’m in,” and going out and organizing one thing.
Yeah, we truly slid into it, and it wasn’t an excellent concerted effort to get issues going. Initially, Justin from SCAMS was working for a distinct rave crew on the town. He was operating sound for them — for cash, he was offering a service — however by some means that they had a factor the place we have been going to guide half the acts for a present they have been doing, and so they have been going to guide the opposite half of the acts. I ended up being the one who was reserving the acts.
However the music that I like is fairly bizarre, and the music they play is extra home or wub. In order that they have been like “Yeah, this shit is simply not — that is too bizarre for us,” and we simply ended up doing our personal present on that day, and hat was the primary GRIFT present. And from there, that was a number of enjoyable and a extremely satisfying expertise placing that occasion on.
I knew that the [abandoned Coca-Cola warehouse] was not the unique venue for GRIFT 1 — or not less than that was my understanding then and now. I used to be questioning what was the story of arising with that occasion, what occurred, and the way you ended up on the warehouse. I had enjoyable [working] the door, so not less than from the place I used to be it was a number of fan. Any large classes for that first present?
Yeah, each present we — I — study issues about the right way to put these on a little bit higher. There have been a pair errors. Certainly one of them was simply being too formidable from a financial facet of issues. Earlier than figuring out how a lot cash we have been going to make, we simply dedicated to paying individuals how a lot they ought to be getting paid in a world the place we even have lots of people come out, and we will afford to pay everyone. We ended up shedding… that present cleared my complete financial savings account. I misplaced over a 1000 {dollars}.
(Agonized noises)
And generally I believe the present misplaced round 2000 {dollars}.
(Continued, agonized noises) Oh, God rattling, that sucks (Laughter). Okay. Okay, arduous classes.
Oh yeah, (laughs), and we truly ended up within the Coke manufacturing facility as a result of we have been going to begin in Rail Street Sq. and transfer to the Coke manufacturing facility —
As an after-hours?
Yeah, an after occasion. However I posted on the Tallahassee [subreddit], some promotion for the present, however I referred to as it a rave occurring in Rail Street Sq., and one of many Kayes — who personal [Rail Road Square] thought that no, we will’t have a rave occurring right here. In order that they cracked down on it, we weren’t allowed to have it, and we needed to transfer it final minute. In order that was one other lesson, which is navigating round politics that you simply don’t wish to care about about, however form of need to.
Sadly, yeah. Which the irony is that the final [GRIFT event] I went to was a rave in Rail Street Sq., so a yr later you’re having raves in Rail Street Sq. — so I don’t know what modified.
You simply can’t name it a rave. You possibly can name it the rest. There’s only a stigma round that phrase, particularly with older individuals.
Yeah, it’s only a gentle present with some musical accompaniment I suppose. No matter you wish to name it…
I do know the warehouse shouldn’t be precisely the best place to throw a present at. Did you guys have a generator operating within the again?
Yeah, yeah.
That’s what I assumed. Relaxation in Peace to a wild spot… However quick forwarding to now—these are the teachings from the primary occasion, large classes. My condolences to your financial savings account. What are the opposite classes that you simply’ve realized within the final yr?
It’s form of a tragic actuality, however you must give it some thought like a enterprise, and also you to be interested by cash via each step of the method. Despite the fact that, I don’t assume anyone, any of us who’re concerned in placing these on are doing it for cash — it’s barely worthwhile. It’s the identical lesson as the primary one; it’s a relentless strategy of optimizing issues so you should utilize the cash that you simply get extra effectively and pay the people who find themselves concerned higher. You possibly can pay the DJ’s higher. Possibly you can also make a little bit bit of cash and put it away for in the future, you recognize, [you’d] like to purchase higher gear for these exhibits.
And one other factor is the extra people who I hit up for exhibits which might be DJ’s or artists, I discover that individuals are, irrespective of how large they’re, often actually chill and right down to do a present if they will make it work. So long as individuals’s bills are getting paid, most individuals are extra into the thought of taking part in music than they’re into the thought of creating wealth. That’s been a pleasing strategy of getting in contact with individuals who I’ve been listening to their music for years and years, after which assembly them and dealing with them, and so they’re all tremendous chill. It’s very healthful.
That’s all the time a pleasant expertise the place you meet good individuals and you’ll truly work with them, and also you get to placed on actually cool occasions with them. Completely. Every other classes from the final yr?
On the flip facet of what I simply stated, if the present loses a bunch of cash and never lots of people present up, that doesn’t make it a failure. If solely 20 individuals present up, and so they’re all having a blast, then who cares. It’s value it. These individuals obtained to have a enjoyable evening as a result of we made this occasion occur.
Talking of, the set you had. I liked the Void Community present a lot. You guys — [Ryan Lunar] and [Ben Danner] back-to-back and then you definately was most likely a prime 5 ecstatic moments of my life. It was actually an incredible present, and felt like precisely what I wish to really feel after I go to any form of dwell music units, however particularly dance and digital. One of many issues I liked about your set was the construction of it the place you had your individual music — which from what I perceive is within the Gabber micro style?
Yeah — I imply, I’m in every single place.
Okay. How about we begin with that? How would you describe your music beneath Yob the Delectable?
I’m nonetheless making an attempt to grapple with that one. So far as style goes, I actually like chopping up sampled break beats and I like kick drums which might be tremendous distorted. That’s the place the Gabber component is available in. I additionally like footwork and to mix the issues that I like collectively and attempt to make loopy music. I suppose loopy is commonly what I’m going for.
(Laughter). Completely. This isn’t one thing I’d thought of, however [after Ryan and Ben’s set] I used to be sitting on the sofa, and also you open up with this fucking insane xylophone rip. I don’t even know what that was. I felt just like the world was ending. What was that pattern from?
That was a track from Oneohtrix Level By no means and the title is … [Tales from the Trash Stratum]. I can ship it to you.
Please do. Sorry for all the time harassing you for monitor ID’s. Every little thing from that set was nice.
No, that’s probably the most gratifying expertise of taking part in a DJ set, individuals eager to take heed to the music.
And really not often do you will have the prospect to. To return to the unique query — so one of many issues I liked about your set was the construction of it. So that you’d have a hard-driving, excessive bpm track. [We] have been going loopy on the dance flooring. However then there could be breaks, one thing like [Mana Pool’s track Error Dialect] or — and my French is horrible — the Aujourd’hui track, Marguerite. It might bounce in between this stuff, and I’m curious how a lot you’re planning your units entering into, and in case you’re interested by construction.
So there’s so much. Not each set I play is a DJ set. Loads of the occasions I’m taking part in authentic music. However I’ll simply reply the query for that set. For many DJ units, most of my planning [is that] I’ll spend a lot of the month looking for new music, or listening to a bunch of music that I already know I like and making a playlist of music that I wish to play. Then I’ll purchase all that music, and the precise construction simply comes from practising with these songs and seeing what works and what doesn’t. I often can have just a few components that I do know I’ll wish to do at a sure time. I’ll often know what I wish to open with and what I wish to shut with. I’ll have just a few songs the place I’ll positively must play this track at one level. Different songs, it’s extra “I’ll play this if it is sensible” and if it doesn’t then I gained’t. In order that Marguerite track and the Mana Pool track — I would like different individuals to listen to these songs. The Marguerite track, I simply thought it’s simply so foolish to play this between a bunch of loopy ones.
I liked it a lot. I felt like a child. It was loopy.
That track is so good.
So good. I’ve unironically listened to it on repeat, and I’m working via his different ones. So thanks. There’s some extra foolish songs within the different [albums]. Have you ever listened to his different albums?
I’ve solely listened to the one.
They’re actually good. Do you bear in mind the way you discovered his music, and extra typically, how are you discovering new music nowadays?
With that track particularly, my pal Derek simply despatched me that track, Marguerite, and I used to be identical to “Wow, that is such an incredible track,” that ultimately I listened to the album. I don’t assume I listened to that album till I used to be planning for my set for Void Community.
Typically, a number of what I’ll discover is on band camp. I’ll go searching and attempt to discover web labels. I discover music via Reddit typically. I’ll have a look at subreddits for numerous genres of music I like, like jungle or breakcore, and I’ll have a look at what individuals are speaking about and provides it a hear. Different pals will ship me music. Folks at this level know what I prefer to take heed to, and I’ve been obsessive about this type of digital music for the previous few years. I take advantage of Spotify and typically I’ll simply take heed to it’s algorithmic suggestions, and infrequently you get some hits.
Generally the algorithm is shifting proper. Are you seeing the rest attention-grabbing popping out of France proper now? Generally I’ll dig down on an artist like that and discover a native scene or one other artist. Did you discover every other artists linked to Aujourd’hui that you simply discovered attention-grabbing?
Particularly with — I’m not going to try to pronounce his title.
The forbidden French phrase.
Yeah, however I do typically try this. Portland, Oregon has a extremely loopy scene for hardcore digital music. I’ve discovered so much music via New York, clearly, and I do know a number of completely different nations in Europe have a number of thriving scenes for some extra obscure genres of digital music. I don’t typically dive right into a area particularly. Normally I look extra into artists which might be associated to one another via the label they’re on, or I’ll see their social media and that they’re taking part in exhibits collectively, which is type of regionally linked.
How a lot of the expertise or artists to your exhibits are you drawing to Tallahassee versus native expertise?
I’d say it’s 40% out of city individuals. It’s form of arduous to seek out native DJ’s or artists within the vein that I’m making an attempt to push with GRIFT. There are just a few DJ’s right here that I actually, actually love. However only some.
(Laughter)
I imply there are a number of actually nice DJ’s, however within the particular area of interest I’m taking a look at there aren’t that many individuals taking part in that form of music right here. So, to placed on the occasions that I’m envisioning, I’m typically pulling from Atlanta or Central Florida. The final present that we did we flew an individual out from Boston.
Cool. Who was the particular person from Boston?
Lil Kevo 303. They make loopy hardcore, breakcore stuff.
Wow, a yr in and flying expertise in to Tallahassee of all locations. I like it.
It’s solely capable of work due to our relationship with one other rave crew out of Atlanta, Netsphere, and flights into Atlanta are a lot cheaper.
I liked the Hello-Vis jacket match in the course of the set. How a lot are you interested by private and visible presentation going right into a set?
Normally not very a lot. I’m making an attempt to work on that by being a little bit extra animated throughout my units. To not the purpose of like these tacky DJ’s. However [the jacket] was an intentional selection. I thrifted that jacket as a result of I assumed it was humorous, however I’ve been sporting it so much recently as a result of it’s a particularly properly made and heat jacket. However I assumed it’d look cool at midnight with the lights.
100%.
Certainly one of my pals referred to as it stolen valor as a result of it’s from a development firm.
(Laughter) You’re stealing the lineman’s valor?
Only a foolish joke. I used to work development, so I’m okay.
Yeah, you earned your stripes, it’s alright. Wonderful. So that you had GRIFT’s first celebration. What’s coming subsequent?
We’re rolling into the summer season proper now, which as you recognize, a lot of the faculty age individuals are going to be not right here, so we’re going to placed on some extra chill exhibits all through the summer season. I’m considering I’ll do 5$ tickets, chill, principally domestically DJ’s — nothing loopy, no headliners — via the summer season. Simply because it’s arduous to get good turnout in these months. We did a factor six months in the past, an open AUX, which is like an open deck however for anybody who makes digital music to come back do their factor. I wish to begin doing that each month beginning subsequent month. Only a free factor to assist promote extra digital music in Tallahassee, and to get extra individuals a possibility to play with out having to determine getting booked. As soon as college begins once more, we’ll begin placing on some greater exhibits.
That’s the character of the beast in Tallahassee, sadly. So I’m curious in your opinion. Pre-pandemic, there was a reasonably good home present scene. Possibly I used to be simply youthful and went to them extra. There have been extra venues, the Wilbury nonetheless had a stage, after which in the course of the pandemic I really feel like we misplaced a number of venues. Now I see organizations like SCAMS, GRIFT, Subsidian as responses to an absence of a music scene post-pandemic. How have you ever seen the music scene get well, and what are the subsequent steps or challenges for the music scene in Tallahassee?
I really feel like I’ve seen various individuals making an attempt to make issues occur, as a result of like me they have been pissed off with not seeing what they needed to occur right here, occurring. There’s this particular person, Riley, who I believe their enterprise is known as Cracked Reveals, which is placing on cool hardcore stuff. There’s Subsidian, and Ryan who runs that could be a tremendous chill man. I hold seeing extra organizations popping up and placing on DIY exhibits, which is nice clearly. I believe the factor that Tallahassee wants proper now could be a mid-sized music venue to placed on smaller nationwide acts to assist our scene develop. Proper now, we’ve a number of stuff occurring within the DIY house. Then we’ve The Moon and Cascades Park that are reserving greater acts like T-Ache. However there’s not a lot house in between for the mid-level acts that aren’t going to attract 10,000 individuals, however would possibly draw extra like 600 individuals. There isn’t an area for that right here. It form of inhibits a number of acts from stopping right here and seeing it as a viable place to go in the event that they’re on tour.
SCAMS has some plans in that route. In some unspecified time in the future, fingers crossed, we’re going to attempt to begin renting a constructing. It’s not going to be large, however hopefully it would fill the decrease finish of that area of interest a little bit bit.
(Put up Interview Observe: Yob want to make it clear that this tackle Tallahassee needing a medium-sized venue ought to be credited to Justin, one of many cofounders of SCAMS)
That’s thrilling information. That’d be superior. So what’s subsequent for you as a musician?
I wish to hold making extra music. I’m going to be releasing an EP within the subsequent few days. From there, I’d prefer to make an album, perhaps. I simply wish to launch extra music. I’ve been in a lull for the final yr and haven’t launched something. I might actually like to play extra exhibits out of city, as a result of principally now I’m simply taking part in GRIFT occasions. Which a number of the time, I really feel like I must do DJ units. I’m effective with doing DJ units, however I’m much more enthusiastic about taking part in my very own music, doing it my very own manner. I like getting so much weirder and extra chaotic with how I current music on stage, and the way I play the DJ decks. I don’t wish to simply be transitioning from one track to a different or taking part in just a few songs on prime of one another. I actually like taking part in 4 songs on the similar time and fucking with it, however I don’t really feel like I ought to be doing that after I’m DJing for my very own occasion, and I would like everybody who’s at this occasion to have time. The route I prefer to go together with my very own music after I’m taking part in dwell is a little bit bit … much less palatable. I simply wish to get booked for my very own music and play some loopy, scary music for individuals in an area that’s there for that to occur.
I perceive. You wish to reduce free, and also you need everybody there to be there to look at you narrow free for this very particular fashion of music.
I do know it was extra of a DJ set, however I actually loved your set. I liked with the ability to go nuts. I’ve been having fun with listening to your music. The final EP — what’s the title once more?
“Inside My Abdomen is a Compact Disc Containing Irrefutable Proof of Alien Life”
Thanks. Precisely.
Don’t ask me the place that got here from.
It got here from the irrefutable compact disc in your abdomen, I think about.
Yeah, it’s a real story truly.
(Each laughing).
That is nonfiction.
You assume I can give you one thing from my mind?
One thing wacky like that? No manner.
There are essential issues occurring within my abdomen.
So subsequent couple days, the EP is dropping? Thrilling. Please ship that to me.
Yeah, simply ready on streaming providers. I’ll.
Any phrases of recommendation earlier than we go, perhaps particularly recommendation for individuals eager to get entangled within the Tallahassee music scene?
In the event you’re taking a look at it and considering you wish to do stuff, the barrier for entry is actually not as excessive as you could be imagining it. It’s actually only a matter of effort. There’s nothing stopping you from placing on a present. It’s mainly simply getting in contact with individuals, taking pictures individuals messages till somebody will get again to you, and you’ve got all the pieces it’s essential to make one thing occur. Discover some pals who’re down that can assist you do it. It’s often an excessive amount of for one particular person. It’s going to take up a number of your time in case you’re the one particular person concerned in placing in your factor.
Whether or not you’re making an attempt to placed on a present or be an artist and play exhibits, all it actually takes is simply hitting individuals up, and you can also make one thing occur. And I implore you — in case you’re studying this you’re most likely within the Tallahassee scene — in case you’re not pleased with the Tallahassee scene, then begin placing on exhibits. You are able to do it. We want extra cool issues occurring right here.
Nicely, I had a blast. Thanks very a lot for agreeing to speak with me.
Yeah, this was enjoyable. Thanks.
Writer’s Observe: This interview was edited for readability and size.
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