Allah-Las brings an ‘open-ended’ style of indie rock to Henry Miller for two nights.

Love of a place can be one of the most complicated forms of admiration to explain. Bu, when that venue is the Henry Miller Library and the bill is L.A.-based indie rock act Allah-Las, the why seems a lot less interesting than the who.

“There’s never any kind of practical formula that we put together or anything,” says guitarist and vocalist Miles Michaud. “It’s really just the four of us being friends and making music that we like together.”

It is a non-formula that for the better part of the last two decades has worked well for the quartet.

Allah-Las formed in 2008, starting off “basically as a garage band.” Michaud describes the early rehearsals that took place in bassist Spencer Dunham’s parents’ basement.

“Our first recordings were made on a handheld tape recorder,” Michaud says with a laugh. “I think, in hindsight, that a lot of bands get started with kind of a marketing idea in mind – like, what’s our identity going to be, and who’s going to play what role? That was never any consideration of ours. It has allowed us to just be very open-ended, how we approach making music and creating our kind of identity.”

Since then, Allah-Las has developed a large following while releasing five well-received albums. Currently they are working on a collection of instrumental recordings.

“We definitely changed in terms of the kind of musical styles that we have pursued and what we’re influenced by,” Michaud explains. “But I think in a way that’s what would happen naturally to anyone over the course of years.”

Lately, Allah-Las has also expanded its musical influences. Michaud hints at krautrock, prog rock and electronic music as new forms of interest.

The Friday/Saturday pair of performances are the band’s first at the Henry Miller Library, but not in Big Sur. Michaud emphasizes the band’s love for the Central Coast in general. Their latest album, 2023’s ZUMA 85, was recorded at Stinson Beach. He regards the upcoming shows as “momentous occasions.”

“As a band, you can bring a song and have an idea of what a song is going to be, what you want it to be,” Michaud says. “And when you bring it to a band, it’s never going to be that ‘for better or for worse,’ but usually for better – especially with us.”

ALLAH-LAS plays 7pm Friday-Saturday, April 4-5. Henry Miller Memorial Library, 48603 Highway 1, Big Sur. $167/Friday; sold out/Saturday. folkyeah.com