'Crab In The Kitchen' Is Bringing Electronic Music To Alternative Spaces

Most of us expect to find DJs amongst popping bottles and gyrating bodies in a nightclub, and with the rampancy of alcohol consumption in the electronic music scene, you can’t blame us for that. From creation to consumption, substance abuse is conventional in the electronic music scene, leading to the assumption that drinking and drugs are integral to its culture. 

Crab Culture are here to prove us wrong. The Crab Culture concept was born in Surat, a dry city where legal restrictions impede booze-fueled parties. With constraints on bars and clubs, the Crabs found innovative new spaces for music lovers to gather, proving that electronic music can thrive anywhere, whether it be a restaurant, a cat cafe, or even a yarn factory. 

Their founder, Dhiraaj Doriwala, told Homegrown that “Crab Culture came up as a fluke.” It started off as a YouTube channel that aimed to stream artists and show them to the world, not just on a national, but on a global scale. Their YouTube series, ‘Crab in the Kitchen’ collaborated with local restaurants, cafes, and bakeries, bringing attention to Surit businesses whilst bolstering homegrown artists and DJs. These videos were an immense success, with their second episode garnering over 1.2 million views. Today, the channel boasts more than 20,000 subscribers.

The team then expanded the Crab Culture concept, creating a community that thrives both online and off. While their popular video series continues, the Crabs now also bring DJs to eccentric venues across not just the country, but the globe. From pizza places in Bengaluru to cocktail bars in New York, the party follows Crab Culture wherever they go. Their long-term collaboration with Surat restaurant and Cafe Trezzoro also maintains their foothold in their hometown,

In the not so distant future, Crab Culture hopes to stand at the crux of all creative fields, bringing together music, food, fashion, and art. When asked about his vision for the project, Doriwala stated their physical events will focus on “quality and exclusivity” as Crab as a brand progresses into the lifestyle sphere.

This has already started with their merchandise; at their online store, where you’ll find 'Socks by Crab', where they pay tribute to their heritage and collaborate with homegrown illustrators like Suchitra Dandpat. As they continue, they hope to develop their own label, 'Crab Records'; enabling Indian House music develop its own flair. Doriwala hopes to do this by creating a platform where an artist/producer can showcase, distribute, and market their art via Crab Records.

I think it’s safe to say that Crab Culture might just be the next big thing. They even call their community the 'Crab Cult'.

“It’s a cult of silly, happy, and joyful people who need no substances to enjoy music,” said Doriwala. Crab Culture is special because it uplifts its own community while offering exposure to others, proving to us that art thrives when it is a product of collaboration rather than competition. Ultimately, their creative approach to spotlighting up-and-coming artists and homegrown businesses marks makes this a cult we really wouldn’t mind joining.

You can find tickets for Crab Culture’s next event in September here. 

Additionally, Crab Culture is bringing featured artist Vidur Grover with an Afro Beats set to Just Loaf in Koramangala on September 6. Get tickets here. 

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