What if the song you can’t stop playing isn’t just a banger... but a breadcrumb?

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with DJ Hesta Prynn - internationally acclaimed DJ, licensed therapist, and host of the iHeart podcast Music is Therapy. This is not just a conversation about music. It’s about identity, nostalgia, grief, healing, reinvention - and how the songs we return to are often pointing us toward something deeper.

Hesta opens up about how music from her teen years shaped her identity, what losing her entire CD collection in college taught her about personal transformation, and how playlists can help us move through grief and joy alike. From Tori Amos and Beastie Boys to the healing power of a perfect transition, this one is packed with insight, energy, and soul.

If you’ve ever used a mixtape to get over someone... or found yourself looping one track on repeat for days... you’re going to love this chat.

Listen to Music is Therapy on

iHeart

Spotify

or wherever you get your podcasts

Follow Hesta Prynn on Instagram: @hestaprynnmusic

Explore the podcast directly at: hestaprynn.com/musicistherapy

Learn more about Hesta, her work, and upcoming projects: hestaprynn.com

Music is Therapy. Your session starts now.

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

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Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

H

HURRY — RESTAURANT MONTH ENDS THIS WEEK

Savor exclusive menus and special offers at your favorite local spots, including Beda’s Biergarten, during SLO Restaurant Month. It runs through the end of January, so now is the time to taste something unforgettable.

• https://www.visitslo.com/restaurantmonth

In this episode of Up + Adam, broadcaster Adam Montiel sits down with Beda Schmidthues, founder of Beda’s Biergarten in San Luis Obispo and one of the most beloved local figures on the Central Coast.

After losing his art publishing business during the Great Recession, Beda didn’t rebuild with bitterness. He rebuilt with bratwurst. What started as backyard dinners with friends turned into a full-blown German biergarten where the schnitzel is homemade, the beer is imported, and the sense of belonging is absolutely real.

In this heart-filled and often hilarious conversation, Beda shares how starting over led him to his true calling, why a raised German flag once signaled the best dinner party in town, and how community, not capital, built everything he has today. From stories of his childhood in Duisburg to the birth of BedaFest, this is the kind of conversation that sticks to your ribs in the best way.

Learn more about Beda’s Biergarten, check out their events, or rent the iconic beer bike at:

• https://bedasbiergarten.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bedas_biergarten/

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

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ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

********

• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

********

ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

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FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

If you know, you know. And if you don’t…welcome to Brass Mash.

This week on Up+Adam, Adam sits down with three members of the Central Coast’s most electrifying live band: founder and fearless leader Colin Dean, saxophone slayer Anna Wilson, and trumpet powerhouse Ben Kerr. Together, they break down the method behind the musical madness. How mashups become dance floor anthems. How they craft shows that cross generations. And why their upcoming March 6 show at the Fremont Theater is their most important gig yet.

More than a band, Brass Mash is an experience. Think Britney Spears meets Black Sabbath. Lorde with Dre. Daft Punk colliding with ZZ Top. This is a group that should be playing to 20,000 people a night, and for the first time, they’re stepping into a major venue to prove it.

If you’ve ever seen them live, or even just heard the buzz, this is your chance to support something homegrown, one-of-a-kind, and on the verge of something massive.

Grab tickets now for their Fremont show on March 6:

• prekindle.com/event/53994-brass-mash-san-luis-obispo

Learn more about the band and upcoming shows:

• brassmash.com

• Follow on Instagram: @brassmashband

This is the band your favorite band wishes it could be. Tap and play and get ready to mash it up.

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

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ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

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FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

What happens when one of SLO’s most iconic restaurants changes hands quietly, without fanfare, but with deep emotion and mutual respect? On this episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with Phil Lang, the founder and original owner of Bon Temps, and George Parsons, the new owner stepping into some very seasoned shoes alongside his wife.

In this candid, heartfelt conversation, Phil opens up about what it really felt like to let go of the restaurant he built from scratch, what made him say yes to George, and what it meant to feel so seen and celebrated by the community during the handoff. George shares what it’s like to take on a beloved legacy, the delicate dance of honoring what came before while evolving into what’s next, and how he and his wife are bringing new heart into the kitchen.

This is not just a story about food. It’s about trust, timing, stewardship, and two people connected by something bigger than business.

• Follow Bon Temps on Instagram

• Visit Bon Temps online

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

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CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

********

ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

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FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Up+Adam is proud to partner with the City of San Luis Obispo for Restaurant Month 2026, highlighting the chefs, storytellers, and flavor-makers who are feeding the Central Coast in more ways than one. Today, we sit down with one of the most passionate, purpose-driven restaurateurs in town: Kiko Pomalaza, owner of Kiko Peruvian Restaurant & Pisco Bar.

What started as a dream in a rundown café space at the Mission Mall has become one of the most soulful, unforgettable dining experiences in San Luis Obispo. Kiko shares how his childhood in Peru, years in luxury hospitality, and love for human connection all come together in every plate, every cocktail, and every conversation inside his restaurant.

Kiko Restaurant’s 2026 Restaurant Month Specials:

• Three appetizers from a special menu – $35

• Two appetizers and two Pisco drinks – $45

• A three-course dinner experience – $50

Whether you're a longtime fan or have never tried Peruvian food, this episode will make you hungry, inspired, and maybe even rethink what hospitality really means.

Visit the restaurant:

• Website: https://kikorestaurantslo.com

• Location: Mission Mall, San Luis Obispo

• Instagram: @kikorestaurantslo

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

********

ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

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FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

When a local business you love is suddenly in transition, the headlines don’t always tell the whole story. In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Feben Teffera, co-owner of Ebony, the beloved Ethiopian restaurant in downtown San Luis Obispo that’s been a cultural and culinary anchor for the community.

With Ebony now looking for a new home, Feben joins the show to talk about what’s really happening behind the scenes. She opens up about the emotions of this moment, what she wants the community to understand, and how she’s thinking about the future of Ebony. This is the conversation that brings clarity with empathy, honesty, and heart.

• Visit Ebony online: https://www.ebony-slo.com

• Follow Ebony on Instagram

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

********

ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

********

FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

What happens when a 25-year-old journalist says yes to a war zone... before he even knows where it is on the map?

In this gripping episode of Up+Adam, Adam Montiel sits down with NewsNation correspondent Robert Sherman, author of Lessons From the Front, a raw, unflinching book that takes us inside the emotional realities of covering war in Ukraine and the Middle East. But this isn’t your typical war reporter memoir. Robert doesn’t pretend to have the answers. He invites you into his questions. And in doing so, he offers something rare: perspective born from humility.

Together, they talk about the first rocket, the mother who called Russian soldiers "goblins" to protect her daughter’s mind, and the deep, complicated meaning of the word “home” after witnessing a world torn apart. This conversation isn’t about headlines. It’s about heartlines. It's about what war teaches you when you stop reporting and start listening.

Whether you’re a fellow journalist, a student of storytelling, or just someone trying to understand the world a little better, this one’s going to stay with you.

• Grab Robert’s book: Lessons From the Front

• Explore more of Robert’s work: robertshermantv.com

• Follow Robert on Instagram: @robertshermantv

• Watch his dispatches and reports via NewsNation: newsnationnow.com/author/robert-sherman

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
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• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
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CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

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ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

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Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

Adam Montiel connects with actor, playwright, and director Ronnie Marmo, the powerhouse behind the critically acclaimed one-man show I’m Not a Comedian... I’m Lenny Bruce. Touring the country and now coming to the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande, the show brings the infamous comic and cultural disruptor Lenny Bruce back to life with sharpness, heart, and unflinching honesty.

Directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantegna, Ronnie’s performance dives deep into Lenny’s court battles, his biting satire, and his unapologetic push for freedom of speech. In this episode, Adam and Ronnie explore what it means to portray someone who was once arrested for language and how that conversation still echoes today in an era of cancel culture and cultural overcorrection.

They talk legacy, language, vulnerability, and the risks artists take when they decide to tell the truth on stage, in comedy, and in life.

• Tickets to I’m Not a Comedian... I’m Lenny Bruce at the Clark Center: https://clarkcenter.org/shows/lenny-bruce/

Socials and Links for the Guest + Show Team:

I’m Not A Comedian... I’m Lenny Bruce

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlennybruce/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IAmLennyBruce/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/iamlennybruce

Ronnie Marmo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronniemarmo/

Facebook (Actor Page): https://www.facebook.com/RonnieMarmo.Actor

Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/ronnie.marmo

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/realronniemarmo

Joe Mantegna

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joemantegna/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joemantegna

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/joemantegna

Janelle Gaeta Marmo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janellegaeta/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janellegaeta

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/janellegaeta

#IAmLennyBruce

#GeneralHospital

#CriminalMinds

#FreeSpeech

#TheMarvelousMrsMaisel

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

********

ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

********

FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM

*********

Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

In a town like San Luis Obispo, where pizza spots are on every block and every menu claims to be the best, one name keeps rising to the top: My Friend Mike’s. In this episode, Adam sits down with owner Mike Radakovich, the low-key craftsman behind one of SLO’s most beloved wood-fired pizza joints. They talk about how My Friend Mike’s got its name, why his menu reads more like a love letter than a checklist, and what it takes to stand out in a town already full of great pies.

Mike opens up about his creative process, how he balances technique with instinct, and what it feels like when a customer tells you your pizza changed their night. He’s also one of the standout participants in SLO Restaurant Month, and he’s offering a deal you don’t want to miss.

Whether you're a pizza fan, a small business dreamer, or just someone who appreciates food with soul, this episode is for you.

learn more about slo restaurant month and see all participating restaurants:

https://www.visitslo.com/restaurantmonth

explore my friend mike’s menu, story, and hours:

https://www.myfriendmikes.com

follow my friend mike on instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/myfriendmikes

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

********

ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

********

FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM

*********

Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com

What if the biggest threat to your well-being at work isn’t the workload but your boss?

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett — an award-winning organizational psychologist, author, and workplace culture expert — for a raw and revealing conversation on how to identify, survive, and escape toxic leadership. Dr. Laura’s latest book, I Wish I’d Quit Sooner: Practical Strategies for Navigating and Escaping a Toxic Boss, isn’t just eye-opening. It’s a lifeline.

Together, they unpack the eight toxic boss personas (yes, you’ve met one), how to protect your sanity when you can’t walk away, what to say in the moment without risking your job, and how to heal from years of verbal abuse and manipulation. Whether you’re still stuck, just got out, or leading a team yourself and wondering if you might be the problem — this one’s for you.

• Learn more about Dr. Laura: drlaura.live

• Listen to her podcast Where Work Meets Life: drlaura.live/podcast

• Get the book on Amazon: I Wish I’d Quit Sooner (Paperback & Audiobook)

• Follow her on Instagram: @drlaura.live

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who’s been quietly surviving at work when they deserve to be thriving.

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• Official Website: adammontiel.com
• Apple Podcasts: Up+Adam on Apple Podcasts
• Spotify: Up+Adam on Spotify
• iHeartRadio: Up+Adam on iHeartRadio
• YouTube Music: Up+Adam on YouTube Music

********

CHECK OUT OUR WOODS HUMANE PET OF THE WEEK!

********

ADAM’S TEDX VIDEO IS HERE!

********

FOLLOW ADAM ON INSTAGRAM

*********

Sincere Thanks to the current supporters of Up + Adam. Please take a moment and visit them and thank them for supporting local broadcasting, and valuing what we do here. Thank you for supporting them!

Life Elements

City of SLO

WoodsHumaneSociety

Tin City Distillery

Original Music by Dan Curcio and Moonshiner Collective

Moonshiner on Spotify HERE

Please Rate, Review, and Subscribe to the podcast, and learn more at AdamMontiel.com