If you live in New Orleans and love electronic music, you have most likely been to The Metropolitan Nightclub. At this venue you are guaranteed to see one of New Orleans’ best young DJs, DJ TAF. Also known as Jason Ehrlicher, TAF is a New Orleans native and one of the resident DJs of The Metropolitan. Jason began his career in high school helping his older brother at small DJ gigs. By the time he reached college he had already exploded into the New Orleans nightclub scene as his own entity. DJ TAF has opened and closed for some of the biggest names in the world, including Diplo, Nicky Romero, Steve Aoki, Hardwell, Jauz, Adventure Club, and Ghastly, to name a few. Along with his residency at Metro, Jason has also had several successful gigs all over the city of New Orleans. Jason’s passion for music and personal creative sensibility has created a style of his own.
Metro has been a staple in the growth of the New Orleans dance scene and TAF has been right there at the forefront spearheading the movement. Metro has become the premier ‘Vegas-style’ club NOLA so desperately needed. A top-notch brand and staff that go above and beyond are hallmarks of any successful business. TAF is a great example of this, he is not only a valuable member of the Metro team, but also someone who is helping put the entire city on the national scale of dance music markets.
We recently sat down to talk to TAF about his residency, the New Orleans music scene, his style, and of course what T-shirt he prefers. Read his exclusive interview below, followed by a guest mix!
First things first, what does DJ TAF stand for?
“‘Tall As Fuck’. When I first started DJing I didn’t have a name and someone called me “DJ Tall As Fuck”, TAF has stuck ever since.”
How long have you been the resident DJ at Metro? What’s the best thing about being on the Metro team?
“Six years. Being on the Metro team has been great, it has opened the door for me to many other gigs both locally and regionally. I’d have to say my favorite thing about working there is the employees. It’s a family environment and everyone loves working there.”
How would you describe your style?
“Open Format. I started as an open format DJ and that will always be where my heart is. I love so many different genres of music, I’m happiest when I can mix all of them together.”
Deep V-necks or crew cuts?
“Crew cut.”
Who are you currently listening to? Who is the top producer/DJ on your list?
“Not quite a producer but I’m thrilled The xx are making music again, one of my favorite bands. As far as DJs right now I’ve been listening to a lot of Malaa lately. I always enjoy his sets.”
What single night out has been the most memorable for you? As a DJ? As an attendee?
“As an attendee would have to be seeing Deadmau5 at the CAC in 2010. That was the moment I became sure this was what I wanted to do. As a DJ my most memorable moment would have to be opening for Kaskade in Panama City. Opening for one of my favorite producers in front of a huge crowd, it was a dream come true.”
What is something that bugs you about the DJ scene?
“I really like the scene down here, every one seems to get along pretty well. In the bigger picture the nightclub circuit can be cutthroat, but I’ve been lucky to work with some pretty stand-up guys throughout my career.”
Where do you see this scene going in the next few years?
“Bigger and better.”
How excited are you for the growth New Orleans has experienced over the past two years?
“It’s been amazing, the scene has exploded in the last few years. No only with bigger artists coming down here, but so many talented locals making a name for themselves too.”
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