Pat's Peeps Podcast
Join our Pat's Peeps family today and be a part of the exciting journey as renowned national talk show host Pat Walsh connects with Friends and Aquaintances. Together, they delve deeper into the captivating world of Pat Walsh's nightly national talk show, all while championing local businesses.
Whether you are a business owner, a devoted listener, or both, we extend a warm invitation for you to become a valued member of our ever-growing community. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to join us ASAP!
Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 267 Today's Peep It's Saturday Night with Cousin Nic and Friend Jefe at the Strawberry Music Festival, Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley, Food, Music, Friends, Community, But a Real Downer Exit from the Fairgrounds Tonight
Hunger leads the way as we explore the Strawberry Music Festival on Saturday, May 24th. With the sun setting and live music filtering through the meadow, we embark on a sensory journey through the festival's food court, where tantalizing aromas compete for our attention. My cousin Nic has come down from Spokane to enjoy the festivities, and along with my longtime friend Jefe, we're making memories among the crowds.
The festival carries its own unique energy on this busy Saturday. We spot celebrity doppelgangers (an Elton John lookalike!), reminisce about past festival experiences in Camp Mather, and celebrate the reasonable food prices that make this festival stand out from others. After enjoying a meal at The Basement in downtown Colfax earlier in the day—featuring what Jefe declares "the best fish tacos" of his life—we're back at the festival sampling coconut curry and pad thai noodles.
What makes Strawberry Music Festival truly special is the sense of community. We discover the Hog Ranch Radio station where young children are adorably interviewing band members, asking questions about favorite foods and musical instruments. As night falls, the trees behind the main stage illuminate in beautiful blue and purple lights, creating a magical backdrop for Chuck Profit's performance. The dance floor fills with festival-goers moving to the infectious rhythms.
The evening takes an unexpected turn when the band begins injecting political commentary between songs—first about gun control, then with disparaging remarks about Elon Musk. This shift from the festival's peaceful, inclusive atmosphere to politically divisive messaging serves as a reminder of how quickly such comments can fracture the unifying experience of live music. For those seeking an escape through music and community, it raises questions about when and where such messaging belongs.
Whether you're a festival veteran or considering your first music festival experience, join us for this authentic glimpse into the beauty, food, music, and occasional challenges of festival life. Share your thoughts on where the line should be drawn between artistic expression and preserving the communal joy of music festivals.
yeah, that's peeps 267. Saturday. Was it May 24th? You said it is May 24th cuz the Mickey is here where the strawberry music vessel. Hey, a phase here. Hey, everybody, yeah, say happy Saturday. We're hungry May 24th. Cousin Mickey is here. We're at the Strawberry Music Festival. Hey, fa's here, hey everybody. Hey, fa, happy Saturday. We're hungry. I mean there's music in the meadow you can hear in the background and we're just hungry. So they have the food courts. I hope everyone's doing great today. We're just having the best time. Nick came down from Spokane. We've been hanging out my first cousin man, my first cousin First and last, yeah, that's right. And my buddy Jefe forever and ever, and yeah. So it's the sun's sort of getting ready to go down right now. We're trying to figure out what we're going to eat.
Speaker 2:We're floating from scent to scent, from food booth to food booth, trying to get drawn in to one particular aroma.
Speaker 1:Are you being drawn in, hefe? Anyone you are, I'm, I'm over to what. I'm overwhelmed by all the uh, the smells, and that's ain't over. You're overwhelmed by these smells? Yes, well, earlier we were. I better not segue into the fact we were perched behind the outhouses. When you said smells, earlier we were perched in our little camp camp and behind the outhouses, and there's said smells. Earlier we were perching our little camp camp behind the outhouses and there's been several of them throughout the camp. That was just one of the Saturday pleasantries. But you know, listen, it's very convenient, it's very nice. And now here we are, different story.
Speaker 2:Different story now. Yeah, yeah, the energy difference is different from day to day. It's just various. I can feel it each time we walk in, we park, and we walk in and we take a look around. It just feels like every day has its own type of energy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's more people on Saturday than any. What is this band playing right now? They're kind of rocking out a little bit. So Jeff and I one time we were at Strawberry Camp Maynard and we were camped there by Birch Lake and they have these cabins and we camped right by one of these cabins, right in front of one of these cabins, and this band I just not gonna say who they are they were in this cabin and all night long yeah, right, jeff.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was crazy. That was my first panic attack.
Speaker 1:Yeah, panic attack.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. It kind of made me go into a little panic attack after several hours of, you know, not being able to fall asleep, and pretty soon it was horrible. I thought I was dying.
Speaker 1:We were tent camping. Look, it's Elton John or the guy leaving Las Vegas. Elton John or leaving Las Vegas Elton John or leaving Las Vegas guy Right here right here, right here, say that guy's name, not Lionel Richie all night long. No, not Lionel Richie, no, the only thing he was missing was the cigarette holder. You know that long cigarette holder thing we do. One of the things we do out here at the Shriving Music Festival is we do the look-alikes, the celebrity look-alikes. What do you call them? Doppelgangers?
Speaker 2:Doppelgangers. Yeah, I'm just glad it wasn't Elton John from the I'm Still Standing video.
Speaker 1:It was more from the Kiki D era.
Speaker 2:Okay, don't go breaking my heart.
Speaker 1:Don't go breaking my heart. I wouldn't if I tried Anyhow. Yeah, so this band.
Speaker 5:Oh, you're not that type.
Speaker 1:And okay, okay. And what song did he do with Neil Sadaka About the same time? It was actually a Neil Sadaka song, but I always think of it as an Elton and a lot of other stuff, but I always think of it as a Elton John song, but it's actually a Neil Sedaka song Same time. Come on, both of you guys 75, 76.
Speaker 2:Yeah, come on Philadelphia Freedom.
Speaker 1:No, no. This is with Neil Sedaka, laughter in the Rain, with Elton John, I'm talking about, and Nelsons.
Speaker 2:Although Laughter in the Rain is a good call for a new song. No, not After the Rain. Laughter in the Rain, no After the Rain. That was just Neil by himself.
Speaker 1:No, he did Bad bad blood blood. Yeah, changes in the car. That's right, neil.
Speaker 2:Sedaka, Elton John. The word bitch, I believe, is in that song a couple times.
Speaker 1:Well, well, the bitch is back. I had a co-worker one time and every time she came in I would play a song for her. I don't even remember the song and you put a timely bitch reference. Oh, it was a co-worker who loved Bruce Springsteen. We were talking about Bruce Springsteen. She loved Bruce Springsteen, so every morning she was from New Jersey, so every morning early in the morning she'd come into work in the newsroom and every morning for a while there I would play a different Bruce Springsteen song to welcome her in. And this gal, marna Davis, was working with us and one morning she goes. God, I wish someone would play a theme song for me every time I walked in the door. So the next morning when she came in speaking about John and the song you're talking about, I would play the bitch is back and the bitch is back.
Speaker 2:So cold, so over-resonant. I bet she never asked for another interview.
Speaker 1:She knew I loved her. I was just messing with her. Anyhow, they have coconut curry at the egg roll. It's the egg roll people, Anyone? Yeah?
Speaker 2:I'm into it we are the egg roll people. That seems like a very clean sort of conehead choice to me. It really does.
Speaker 1:They have coconut curry and pad thai noodles. Ooh, I love those, I know. Let's see what they have. Stir fry, let's walk up there here for a second. We'll tell you what they have. Green salad, spaghetti, spaghetti and meatballs Ooh Lord, lasagna, spinach, ricotta. Anyhow, it's a beautiful night. There's lots of people out here. They have the Italian ice booth behind us too. I might walk out to the field so you can hear a little music while you guys are sure, are we gonna order? Right now, we're gonna order something. That's one thing I love about the music festival is you can come out here and they have really good food and it's not too terribly expensive or anything. I don't say it's. Don't see that it's too much more than you would be spending in a restaurant. What have you? Giant? New York slices of pizza. I already had a pizza today. By the way, there was a restaurant we went to and support your local business. Today, we went to a place called the Basement in Colfax, california Beautiful downtown Colfax, and I had a pizza. It was outstanding. Jefe, you had.
Speaker 3:I had the best fish tacos I've ever had in my life. I really did Wow. It was great. And the best tastiest beer I ever had in my life. We had the Maui Waui beer Right, something brand new to me. Yeah, it was really really good.
Speaker 1:At the basement Something brand new to me. Yeah, it was really really good At the basement. And then Cousin Nick over here orders the salad. Oh it's good. I can't believe you ate all that salad.
Speaker 2:It's about 12 inches high I'm going to go back there.
Speaker 1:The guy working there was really great. Yeah, he was, he was good. Oh, we're going to order.
Speaker 5:now, there you go.
Speaker 1:There you go. We're gonna order that one. Sorry, we are up at the window to order.
Speaker 5:Let's see what cousin Nick is ordering. What is he ordering I?
Speaker 1:Have no idea what you got any idea? Combo the combo, how tiny it wasn't. Stir-fry with us with a spring roll. I do love the coconut curry.
Speaker 3:I'm sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that sounds great. There you go.
Speaker 5:Yeah, sorry for the wait, we'll get those fries right up to you.
Speaker 1:Oh, very good. The food booths are outstanding here. How's business been today? Busy, Busy. Oh yeah, Good good, Good, good good. What's the most popular dish?
Speaker 3:here, the combo.
Speaker 1:Oh, really, better than the pad thai noodles. Coconut pad thai noodles Is that what it is. I'll do that, please. There you go, jefe, is that?
Speaker 5:tofu.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I'm disappointed, I didn't realize.
Speaker 1:Okay, now we are entering the meadow. It's beautiful at night here. We're gonna go to the dance area now that our bellies are full. They are getting ready to introduce the last band here on Saturday night. What are they talking about?
Speaker 2:Let's listen, I'm nine years old, but my question is going to be what's your guys' most used instrument?
Speaker 3:What instruments?
Speaker 1:do you use? Can you hear that off here? I play the bass the most and some harmonica. You might have heard me play harmonica and I like to sing. Oh, I think they're at the Hog Ranch Radio.
Speaker 3:I think that's where they are.
Speaker 1:So they air this over the stage speakers.
Speaker 4:I wrote a song on the piano because it's a melodic instrument, so it helped me get the melody there, that's right.
Speaker 2:What's that?
Speaker 4:Yeah, you're right, because we're not seeing what we're hearing here on this stage.
Speaker 5:So they have to be over at the radio station.
Speaker 1:All right, I'm going to walk over to Hog Ranch Radio and over to the tents where they sell all of the merchandise here at Strawberry.
Speaker 2:Have you ever, ever had a banana stuck on?
Speaker 5:your nose before I have.
Speaker 1:They've got all the little kids over at the Hog Ranch Radio asking questions. I have too. In fact I worked with a naturalist who used? To pick up a banana. He had a fairly large nose. He picked up a banana stuck and he put it up. I'm going to walk over here to the radio station and see if I can see the kids asking the radio guys some questions. I love that the trees behind the stage are all lit up blue and purple.
Speaker 5:Here we go.
Speaker 1:Oh, yes, they have kids over here at the radio booth. Anyhow, that's one of the things I really like about this is that they get the kids interested in this and they integrate them into all the fun. It's just if I were a kid, this is a place I would want to be, and they have great questions for being little kids. What inspires all of these songs? We're inspired by nature and we're inspired by kids and we're inspired to teach about nature to kids and families.
Speaker 1:This is like the Banana Slug String Band. I think that's who this is. What's your?
Speaker 5:name, I'm Will and I'm five years old. Oh my gosh, what is your favorite food?
Speaker 1:What is your favorite food? She's five years old.
Speaker 5:That's so cute. It's banana slugs.
Speaker 1:What is your favorite food? I?
Speaker 5:can eat a burrito any day. What the world, what the thing can I eat? Well, things are changing a little bit lately. I love a raw great organic salad, Salad and sandwiches. Alright, that's the Great organic salad, Yay.
Speaker 1:All right, that's the NB with the banana slug string band. Banana slug string band. There you go, ladies and gentlemen. Pat's Peeps 267.
Speaker 2:We're right, here we're ready, folks. Now everybody's going out to have some chocolate-covered banana slugs. Oh, that's right. We'll also be selling very soon over there. So we've got slugs.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's right. All right, here we go. The band is on stage.
Speaker 5:Take a listen Chuck profit Chuckett on stage. Yeah, I like that. Welcome home, everybody. Let's get together tonight.
Speaker 4:I got some money in my jeans, I'm gonna spend it all, just right.
Speaker 5:I've been to the home of all the people. House is empty and the folks are gone. I've been to the home of all the people.
Speaker 1:I'm in the dance area.
Speaker 5:They have a dance area on the floor. When you hear all the music, you can't sit still If your brother won't rock. This is the well A bien de todos.
Speaker 1:Nice to see the colored lights on the trees. The sun is down, people dancing, it's beautiful.
Speaker 5:I'm in this at home. Well, we're gonna have a party and we're gonna put a guard outside. Cause if my folks find out they're really gonna have my eye. Nothing on my move Is what we go to. Don't wanna run around With the usual crew. Who cares? Abriéndese todo.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Oh, I like the sound. This is awesome. What a beautiful night Temperature is nice. It's a great community of people. I love it. I like that sound Cubana.
Speaker 2:Cubia Strat Sap, cubia 6, strings 6 strings.
Speaker 1:Chuck Farber Cubia strings it's the biggest radar love, isn't it?
Speaker 4:I will deal with that, so I think it's made our love, isn't it?
Speaker 5:And we'll deal with that. I wish I was a fish in the ocean.
Speaker 4:Wish I was a bird in the sky. I wish I was a rattlesnake. I'm riding your finger. Everything. I wish I was a rattlesnake. I'd have to flatten your finger. Everything I do is the same old crime.
Speaker 5:You might be looking at me through a telescope.
Speaker 4:I might be heating you up like a pie. Doesn't matter what on earth we're doing Everything we do is the same old crime.
Speaker 5:Gonna wake the dead, get them on their feet. Gonna count our nickels like we're counting sheep.
Speaker 4:Gonna ride from Peter to PayPal. Now you know, gonna teach the children a little history, but not too much. Now Gonna cop a plea.
Speaker 5:We gonna rob from Peter. To pay Paul. That's not all, thank you.
Speaker 4:We don't have any backing tapes, we don't have any auto-tune, but we do have a set list and I just want to let you know we've got a family-friendly program planned for you guys and we really think you're going to like it. But we are a little rusty. We haven't played in a while. So I think at this point, if you would, I would like for you guys to see. If you can't wish us luck, can we turn these lights down? I can't see the audience. I don't know what they're saying out there. Maybe these lights down in front you can turn them down a little bit.
Speaker 5:These split lights, so we need to get up. You want to hear a little guitar? I think they need it, chuck Yep.
Speaker 4:Anymore, come on, let's go.
Speaker 1:Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, the dance floor is now open, so I'm walking out of the festival right now. On Saturday night it's ending. You know, everything was going so great. I was enjoying the band it's like Chuck Proffitt and Kubia's Shoes, you know and I'm enjoying the band, I'm enjoying the music. It's a really nice setting Played a lot of that music for you and then after that, you know, after that, unfortunately, and at least in my opinion, the political messages started coming out on the stage from this band and they're from San Francisco, apparently and the first thing they said was something to the effect of he doesn't believe that a man should be able to walk into a gun shop and purchase a gun, which was followed maybe the next song or after that, with well, this song is about.
Speaker 1:We're going to dedicate this song to Elon Musk, and you know, as far as I'm concerned, elon Musk can, you know, make his rocket ship to Mars and get out of here and take all of anyone who supports him with him. And as soon as he said that that was it for me, I turned around. It ruined the rest of the show, which is almost over anyhow. We're still playing, but I said no, you want people to go, okay, because they don't agree with you. Bye, so I'm out of here. This is why you have to leave politics out of these shows, especially at some place like Strawberry, you know, where it's a peaceful setting, where people aren't talking about this kind of stuff. You know they're not talking about politics. People aren't here to have a good time.
Speaker 1:I was just talking about this on a recent show, so you know I won't be exactly ending my show Pats Peeps 267, with music, but you heard a lot of music in this one. So with music, but you heard a lot of music in this one. So I'm going to check out with that. Thank you for listening. It's just a blessed day, it's a beautiful evening, it's the Strawberry Music Festival, it's Saturday, what? May 24th? All right, back tomorrow, see ya.
