Up + Adam with Adam Montiel

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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

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking

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

Molly Clark: Cal Poly Arts Dir on New Season, the Art of the Bet, and Bringing the World to SLO | Up+Adam Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

Molly Clark, Director of Cal Poly Arts, joins Adam for a behind-the-curtain conversation about what it really takes to curate a season of live performance on the Central Coast. From Broadway crowd-pleasers like Beetlejuice, Six, and A Beautiful Noise, to global music, National Geographic Live, family programming, contemporary dance, and unforgettable nights at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo, Molly shares how Cal Poly Arts builds a season that feels both world-class and deeply local.

This episode gets into the art of the bet. How do you know when to trust your gut on an artist? What happens when a show surprises everyone and sells out? What does it mean to bring the world to a community like San Luis Obispo, especially in a time when live, shared experiences feel more important than ever? Adam and Molly also talk about the magic of Kishi Bashi at Sensorio, why the PAC is such a gem for artists and audiences, and how Cal Poly Arts continues to invite people into rooms where something real can happen.

Whether you are a Broadway loyalist, a live music lover, a dance fan, a curious first-timer, a Cal Poly student, or someone who simply wants to feel connected to something bigger than your streaming queue, this conversation is your invitation to look at the Cal Poly Arts season and pick the show that just might change your night.

• Cal Poly Arts website: calpolyarts.org

• 2026/27 Cal Poly Arts Season: calpolyarts.org/20262027-season

• Tickets and Cal Poly Arts events at PACSLO: pacslo.org/calpolyarts

• Box Office info: calpolyarts.org/boxoffice

• Student tickets: calpolyarts.org/students

• Cal Poly Arts Instagram: instagram.com/calpolyarts

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*PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS!

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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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Life Elements

City of SLO

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking

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

Lee Greenwood on God Bless the U.S.A., the Fourth of July, and Singing Through History | Up+Adam Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

Lee Greenwood joins Adam right before the Fourth of July, and the timing couldn’t be better. The Grammy-winning country icon behind “God Bless the U.S.A.” talks about the life of that song beyond the charts: writing it on the back of a tour bus in 1983, watching it become something much bigger than a single, and learning how to sing it differently depending on the room, the moment, and the meaning. From Yankee Stadium after 9/11 to a USO performance on the Nimitz in the Persian Gulf, Lee reflects on the places that still stay with him and why the song continues to evolve every time he steps up to the mic.

Adam and Lee also talk about “Start the World Over Again,” Lee’s song from REAGAN: Songs Inspired by the Film, and Lee clears up the story behind the writing of it, including how Ronald Reagan and Mike Curb factored into the track. They get into California roots, family history, and the line in “God Bless the U.S.A.” that traces back to his grandparents losing their farm in Sacramento. If you’ve ever wondered how a song becomes part anthem, part memory, part national soundtrack, this one’s worth your time.

Links

• Lee Greenwood official website

• “Start the World Over Again” on Apple Music

• Lee Greenwood on YouTube

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*PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS!

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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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Life Elements

City of SLO

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking

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

MC Jin: Hip-Hop, Healing & Laugh But Not Least | Up+Adam Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the dream you've spent your whole life chasing doesn't turn out the way you imagined?

Actor, rapper, comedian, and podcast host MC Jin joins Adam for one of the most honest conversations we've had on Up+Adam. From making history on BET's Freestyle Fridays to navigating career setbacks, rebuilding his life, and discovering that some of our greatest disappointments can become our greatest teachers, this conversation is about far more than music.

Together, Adam and Jin explore identity, resilience, faith, family, and why the hardest chapters of our lives often become the stories we laugh about later. They also dive into Jin's new podcast, Laugh But Not Least, where humor, vulnerability, and unforgettable storytelling remind us that healing doesn't always happen in spite of our struggles. Sometimes it happens because of them.

Whether you're a fan of hip hop, comedy, great storytelling, or simply trying to make sense of your own journey, this episode is for you.

Learn more and connect with MC Jin:

• Laugh But Not Least podcast: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-laugh-but-not-least-335585055

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

• Laugh But Not Least Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laughbutnotleastpod/

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*PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS!

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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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Life Elements

City of SLO

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking

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

Lou Diamond Phillips: Gangland, Indigenous Storytelling, and Four Decades of Craft | Up+Adam Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Lou Diamond Phillips joins Adam Montiel on Up+Adam to talk about his new film Gangland, a gritty crime thriller arriving in theaters and on digital July 10. Lou plays Teddy Sharp, a weathered tribal police officer trying to hold the line when a ruthless fugitive returns to a rural Indigenous reservation and exposes secrets that could ignite a violent gang war. In this conversation, Adam and Lou dig into the storm inside Teddy, the real tribal cop who wrote the script, the influence of Longmire advisor Marcus Red Thunder, and why Lou says this film is “artisanal” and something he is personally hand-carrying to audiences.

From La Bamba, Stand and Deliver, and Young Guns to Longmire, Broadway, directing, writing, and more than 150 credits, Lou Diamond Phillips has built one of the most enduring and versatile careers in Hollywood. But this conversation is not about nostalgia. It is about craft, legacy, Indigenous representation, mentorship, resilience, and a performance in Gangland that is already earning serious buzz. Lou brings heart, humor, honesty, and that unmistakable lived-in presence to a role that feels weathered, human, and deeply worth watching.

Links:

• Watch the Gangland trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCyY4DKq9dY

• Gangland on Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gangland_2025

• Gangland on Fandango: https://www.fandango.com/gangland-2026-246205/movie-overview

• Gangland on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28263483/

• Lou Diamond Phillips on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officiallou_diamondphillips/

• Lou Diamond Phillips on X: https://x.com/LouDPhillips

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*PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS!

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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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Life Elements

City of SLO

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking

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

Ronnie Johnston: Allegretto, Set, Go! Paso Robles Hospitality with Heart | Up+Adam Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

Ronnie Johnston, Food and Beverage Director at Allegretto Vineyard Resort in Paso Robles, joins Adam for a warm check-in on one of the Central Coast’s most beautiful hospitality destinations. Allegretto is more than a resort. It is an art-filled, Tuscan-inspired Paso Robles escape with Cello Ristorante & Bar, Allegretto Wines, Spa Allegretto, social hour, staycation offerings, and a whole lot for both locals and visitors to enjoy. Ronnie shares what makes the food and beverage program feel true to the property, from seasonal menus and local farmer’s market finds to a wine list that celebrates the Central Coast while still making room for Italian inspiration. The conversation also touches on Allegretto’s growth, its community spirit, and why locals should feel just as welcome dropping in for lunch, a cocktail, a spa treatment, or happy hour as travelers do booking a full wine country getaway.

Adam also checks in with Robin Coleman from Woods, and meets Cider (our POTW) and recap the Woods Pet Gala with her.

• Learn more about Allegretto Vineyard Resort: https://www.allegrettovineyardresort.com/

• Follow Allegretto on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allegrettovr/

• Explore Cello Ristorante & Bar: https://www.allegrettovineyardresort.com/the-resort/cello-ristorante-bar

• Learn more about Spa Allegretto: https://www.allegrettovineyardresort.com/the-resort/spa

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*PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS!

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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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Life Elements

City of SLO

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking

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

Paul Solotaroff: What Happens When Everyone Looks the Other Way & Certainty Kills the Truth? | Up+Adam Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a community becomes so desperate for answers that it embraces the wrong ones?

In this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with veteran Rolling Stone investigative journalist Paul Solotaroff, host of the gripping true crime podcast The Devil's Quarry. What begins as the story of two teenagers wrongfully convicted in the murder of a 12-year-old girl unfolds into something far more disturbing. A predator hiding in plain sight. A justice system that may have failed the very people it was supposed to protect. And a decades-long search for truth that is still unfolding today.

Paul has spent more than 30 years exposing corruption, uncovering institutional failures, and helping free the wrongly convicted. In this conversation, he shares how The Devil's Quarry became more than an investigation. It became a mission. Adam and Paul explore the danger of certainty, why humans are often willing to accept the wrong answer in exchange for closure, and what happens when the official story turns out not to be the true story.

They also discuss the emotional toll of investigative journalism, the survivors who haunted Paul long after the reporting ended, and why, despite spending a career staring into some of humanity's darkest corners, he still considers himself an optimist.

If you're fascinated by true crime, wrongful convictions, investigative journalism, criminal justice reform, and the psychology of human behavior, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Links:

• The Devil's Quarry Podcast:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-hit-man-45764628/episode/introducing-bone-valley-season-5-the-devils-quarry-336437918

• Paul Solotaroff at Rolling Stone:

https://www.rollingstone.com/author/paul-solotaroff/

• Lava for Good:

https://lavaforgood.com

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*PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS!

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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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Life Elements

City of SLO

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking

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

The Maestro, the Cellist, & America's 250th Birthday | Stars, Stripes & Strings with Opera SLO | Up+Adam Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

A world-class cellist plays a 175-year-old instrument on todays show.

No, seriously.

On this episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Opera SLO Artistic Director Brian Alhadeff and acclaimed cellist Megan Chartier ahead of Opera SLO's upcoming America Turns 250: Patriotic Pops & Veterans Tribute.

We talk about the power of live music, why the Central Coast continues to attract incredible artistic talent, and what happens when an orchestra becomes something bigger than the sum of its parts. Megan shares stories about performing on a cello built in the 1850s, raising a two-year-old future musician, and the fascinating way she sees colors while memorizing music.

Plus, she performs live in the studio.

It's a conversation about art, community, passion, and why some experiences can only happen when real people gather together to make something beautiful.

Learn more:

Opera SLO

Tickets, upcoming performances, educational programs, and everything happening with Opera San Luis Obispo.

https://operaslo.org

Clark Center for the Performing Arts

Venue information, event details, and tickets for America Turns 250: Patriotic Pops & Veterans Tribute.

https://clarkcenter.org/shows/america-turns-250/

Megan Chartier

Megan's official website featuring her performance career, recordings, teaching work, and professional biography.

https://www.meganchartier.com

Opera SLO on Instagram

Behind-the-scenes content, performance announcements, artist spotlights, and upcoming events.

https://www.instagram.com/operaslo

Megan Chartier on Instagram

Follow Megan's life as a professional cellist, performer, educator, and musician.

https://www.instagram.com/meganchartier.cellist/

Inkermezzo on Instagram

Megan's visual art account featuring her original illustrations inspired by classical music, musicians, and music education.

https://www.instagram.com/inkermezzo

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*PORTABIDET: UP+ADAM IS AN OFFICIAL SPOKESPERSON FOR PORTABIDET - USE THIS LINK FOR UP+ADAM LISTENERS TO LEARN MORE AND GET YOURS!

Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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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Life Elements

City of SLO

Sponsored by The Mountain Air | Sponsored by Benny’s Pizza | SLOFreeParking

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

Jamison Firestone: A New York Kid, a Russian Mafia, and a Front Row Seat to History & Author of Rules of Lies | Up+Adam Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a kid raised around con men, mobsters, loan sharks, and chaos decides to start over... and accidentally lands in the middle of one of the most consequential stories of the last 35 years?

On this True Crime Tuesday episode of Up+Adam, Adam sits down with Jamison Firestone, author of Rule of Lies: My Wild Ride Through Chaos, Corruption, and Murder in Putin's Russia. What begins as the story of a young American lawyer chasing opportunity in post-Soviet Russia quickly becomes something much bigger. Firestone shares how he built the first independent foreign-owned law firm in Russia, negotiated with mafia bosses, witnessed the rise of Vladimir Putin, and found himself at the center of some of Russia's most explosive corruption scandals.

Along the way, he reflects on the courage of Sergei Magnitsky, the dangers of a justice system turned into a weapon, the role humor played in surviving impossible circumstances, and what honesty looks like when everything is on the line. This conversation is part true crime, part history lesson, part political thriller, and entirely human.

In this episode:

• Growing up around criminals in New York

• Why he moved to Russia after law school

• Negotiating with Russian mafia groups

• The moment he realized Putin's Russia was changing

• The story of Sergei Magnitsky

• The difference between criminals and criminals with governments

• Why humor became a survival tool

Whether you're fascinated by true crime, geopolitics, history, human resilience, or stories that sound too wild to be true, this episode delivers.

Learn more about Jamison Firestone:

• Find Rule of Lies on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rule-Lies-Through-Corruption-Murder-ebook/dp/B0FS7TDR19

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Listen to Up+Adam with Adam Montiel:

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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Life Elements

City of SLO