San Luis Obispo, California. The small college city that Cal Poly calls home is nestled along the coast of central California. With such a heavy population of college students who show strong interest in music, San Luis Obispo, also known as SLO, caters to the needs of a young 20-year-old and offers a variety of places to go to discover new tunes.

UU Hour: Concerts in the Plaza

Admission: Free. If you’re passing through classes Thursday afternoons between the hours of 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. and happen to stroll through the University Union (UU), you are bound to meet up with friends or score free shirts or hats from the ski club booth while watching some crazy indie or funk band tear it up on the outdoor concrete stage. A free hour-long set in between classes? Dream come true. Some names who have graced the UU plaza mainstage are the Damon Castillo Band, the Ataris, Kate Voegele, and one of the biggest free shows from recent years was from Augustana, who ended up shutting down one of the on-campus streets to play their 1.5 hour set.

Cal Poly Rec Center

Admission: Free-depends. Depending on what kind of event is being thrown in the Cal Poly Rec Center, you may either get in for free or have to buy tickets in advance to enjoy your evening’s music. Events such as Week of Welcome (WOW) allow incoming freshmen and transfer students to enjoy a big staged show in the Rec Center as part of their fee for WOW. Other events such as Dusk ‘Til Dawn offer free shows for Cal Poly students only. Other “bigger name” concerts held in the Rec Center make you purchase a ticket in advance. Some band names that have taken on the full-scale mainstage are MxPx, Rx Bandits, Death Cab for Cutie, Ozomatli, and Everclear.

SLO Downtown Brew

Admission: Tickets in advance or at the door. If you’re looking for a great way to spend your night in downtown SLO, look no further than music at Downtown Brew (DTB). This two-story bar offers one of the most eclectic selections of music in SLO. Names that drop by the brew range from well-known signed artists to independent rookies, from street hip-hop to country folk. Some of the DTB artists included Pinback, the Damon Castillo Band, Andre Nickatina, Reggie & the Full Effect, and A Static Lullaby. With a beer in hand and your favorite band at your feet, you can’t go wrong.

Linnaea’s Café

Admission: Free. If you’re looking for coffee and chill music, rather than beer and rage, come check out Linnaea’s Café, right across the street from DTB. The atmosphere is cozy and friendly and you’re bound to run into relaxing acoustic sets from many local artists. The great thing is that you can enjoy a free show and expose yourself to new music while sipping on a hot chocolate and doing your homework. Multitasking at its finest.