More than 200 fans packed the Madonna Inn Ballroom in San Luis Obispo Wednesday night for an intimate, hometown performance by country music star Dasha.
Ruby and Estelle Oats were among those in the crowd.
"It was really fun dancing to all the music," Estelle Oats said.
The 26-year-old singer-songwriter, born and raised in San Luis Obispo, says the show celebrated her new music as well as her local roots.
"Being back here at home, I mean, it's just magical. It's so nostalgic for me every time I come home. I loved my childhood here in SLO so much," Dasha said.
The concert was part of the Amazon Music Breakthrough live-stream series, which promotes emerging artists. Tickets were free but capped at 250 people.
When it came to picking a venue, Dasha says she wanted a place that reminded her of home, making the Madonna Inn an obvious choice.
"I used to go ballroom dancing here with my dad all the time, and you'd do before prom dinners at the Madonna Inn," Dasha said.
The crowd was full of familiar faces, from family members to former teachers and childhood friends.
"It's so nostalgic and the new music is so nostalgic in that kind of way too," Dasha said.
Dasha says the music video for her most recently released song, "82 Chevy," was inspired by San Luis Obispo. She knew she wanted to shoot the video in Perfumo Canyon, but says she was missing one key prop — a baby blue Chevy.
As she was talking to her dad on the phone one day about the dilemma, he was walking through his San Luis Obispo neighborhood and happened to spot the exact truck they needed.
"So he hangs up, and I guess he goes and knocks on the door and is like, 'Hey I live down the street, my daughter Dasha is shooting this video...'," Dasha said.
The truck's owner has two daughters who are fans and was more than willing to help out. That same truck was on display at Wednesday's concert.
Fans say Dasha's success is an inspiration.
"It's cool to see someone from such a small area go do big things," Paso Robles resident Kaidyn Woolf said.
"It's like we could be that famous someday," Estelle Oats said.
Dasha is set to have vocal surgery at the end of October. After her recovery, she will return to the stage, including at the Stagecoach Country Music Festival in Southern California.
