Grown Ass Folks is a combination of music where disco, funk and house collide to make a soundtrack for sophisticated men and women to dance their asses off.

At least, that’s how DJ Jesse Clark describes his music. 

“I realized that playing just one style of music is boring and that people like to party to things that sound familiar,” Clark said. “Once I stopped trying to educate people all the time, I realized familiarity is just as powerful as obscurity.”

Clark said he fell in love with House music and wanted to learn how to play it after one particular night with his friends.

“This night I saw someone not only play music they love, but I saw them interact with music in a way I had never seen before, I was mesmerized,” Clark said. “That night, when everyone passed out, I got on the tables, pulled out the dual copies he had and tried to blend two records in my headphones til the sun rose. It was over after that.”

Clark preforms his music at the V-Club, a music venue located on 741 6^th Ave., just blocks away from Marshall University’s campus.

Gene Anderson, part of security at the V-Club said he thinks the V-Club is different from any other local bar.

“What separates the V-Club from other bars is that not only is it a bar, it’s the premiere live music venue in the Tri-State,” Anderson said. “We have one of the best sound systems and lights of all the venues in town, and we are one of the safest clubs in the city.”

Clark agrees with Anderson, and said he can’t stress how important the sound system is.

“I have played a lot of different venues, from literal holes in the wall to 2000 plus raves and the V-Club is one of the few that I can say has their shit together consistently,” Clark said.

After being asked why Clark chose the name Grown Ass Folks, he said it’s because it is that exactly- it’s music for Grown Ass Folks.

“I wanted to have a party that offered an environment that welcomed anyone, but created a home for people who focused on dancing for dancing’s sake rather than making it a mating ritual,” Clark said. “Most of the venues I had played in made me feel like a grumpy old man because of the meat market vibe or the general lack of respect patrons had for each other. I wanted to party with people who didn’t act like children, but partied like grown ass folks.”

Clark said he has been doing this for about 20 years.

“I really started this because I wanted to provide an alternative to the options that Huntington offered for those who liked to dance,” Clark said. “I wanted to have an outlet for the music that I was creating and listening to, but really, I just wanted to shake my ass and make others do the same.”

Clark said he is really thankful for his fans who come out to his shows.

“Grown Ass Folks is not me, it’s the crowd and the vibe they create,” Clark said. “Without them I’d just be another nerd collecting records and playing them to my four friends in a basement… not that that sounds all that bad, but it’s nice to have choices.”

The next Grown Ass Folks show is March 28 at the V-Club featuring The Almond Brothers, which Clark describes as “A three man crew who’s love of house music is infused with 70s psychedelic and the deeper side of disco.”

The cover for the show is $5 before 11 p.m. and $10 anytime after 11 p.m.

Karima Neghmouche can be contacted at [email protected].