Nestled between a coffee shop and gift store, Hello Village sells bright gifts, baby clothing, and apparel. However as the sun sets, high school students and metal fans head towards a seemingly simple store to mosh, rock, and have a good time.
On certain weekends after the store closes, the store transforms into an all-ages venue for bands. Chris Williams, who has helped pioneer the venue believes that the fact that the shows are open to all is an important service to the community.
“A lot of times music happens in bars, which is great because they have the infrastructure to support live music, but it’s a bummer for people that aren’t 21 because they can’t get in,” Williams said. “There’s people that are all ages that love music and only people that are 21 and over can get into the shows and so- it’s really important that this be an all-ages thing.”
Usually, the venue hosts around four bands throughout the night, and students can pay less than 20 dollars to see all the performers. For students like Charlotte West (‘24), having the event open for all ages helps create a community for a group that isn’t often able to access live music.
“[The shows] are really interactive. It’s more intimate. I feel like you can get to know the bands more. It’s really cool,” West said.
The shows are not just a way to feel connected, but a way to release emotions and stress. Moshers can jump around with their hair flying, fists slamming and heads bobbing, making it a therapeutic experience. Orion Schmidt (‘26) enjoys coming to the shows for this reason.
“The point of the music is very heavy and it makes you want to feel a little violent. So it’s a calm way to like slam into each other run around, just kind of feel the music more,” Schmidt said.
While Olivia McDonald (‘25) doesn’t mosh, she still sees the value in the events for students.
“I think [those attending] really enjoy having this outlet. I think it’s fun. I like this type of music. It’s just fun seeing all these people have such a great time,” McDonald said.
The shows work as a way to introduce young people to the music and inspire them to make their own bands one day.
“[It’s great] to see that sense of community: the band supporting each other and the other kids that are watching those bands [and] then they go home and they want to start a band. Hopefully, that continues to happen and then those bands can play here,” Williams said.
A youth-driven band from Nipomo High School, Death of the Party demonstrates this inspiration and how it leads to creativity. After seeing a show at the store, Thadeus Martinez-Amezcua was inspired to do live events with his friends, forming their band.
“I give [the band] a challenge to go more crazy [each show]. The more rowdy we are, the more rowdy the crowd is,” said Martinez-Amezcua.
Not all bands are local, however, and the venue often draws in performers from further than the central coast. Pretty Sims of False Flag traveled from San Francisco to come to Hello Village.
“I also love seeing new scenes and I was impressed,” said Sims. “There’s a lot of younger people on this show. I was honestly expecting it to be mostly college students from San Luis Obispo. I just love energy, the environment is really fun. I hope to come back soon.”
Whether someone is old or young, new to the music, or a long-time fan, Hello Village shows work to foster community for those attending.
“[I love] seeing the energy that people bring in like having fun and dancing and getting wild. People are smiling and going wild but also looking out for each other and picking each other off the ground and that energy is another reason why I love all ages,” said Williams.
