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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 324 Today's Peep Is Back after Five Days of being "Unplugged"- Dust, Mud, and Madness: The Burning Man Disaster of '25, Plus Trouble at the Orgy Dome, Return of the NFL, Yet Another Bad Movie, and a Pristine Classic from '69
Coming back from a five-day hiatus feels like a small revolution in today's always-on world. Sometimes doing absolutely nothing is exactly what we need most—that "big on switch" desperately needed flipping to OFF, if only for a moment.
The contrast between peaceful downtime and what unfolded at Burning Man couldn't be more striking. While we enjoyed quiet reflection, 70,000 people paid $550 each to endure apocalyptic conditions in the Nevada desert. Massive dust storms followed by heavy rainfall created thick, clay-like mud that transformed the festival into something resembling a Mad Max nightmare. We explore what drives people to willingly subject themselves to such conditions in pursuit of experience, community, and the infamous "orgy dome." Is there a lesson in both approaches to time away—quiet retreat versus intense immersion?
We also dive into the disappointing movie experience that not even Josh Brolin could save, despite our reviewer Ken Dog's enthusiastic recommendation. The highlight of our break was discovering untouched copies of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" from 1969 in our vinyl collection—pristine records that hadn't left their sleeve since before the Apollo moon landing. There's something magical about holding physical pieces of musical history that connect us across generations.
As we return to regular broadcasting with the NFL season starting and baseball heading into its final stretch, we're carrying a renewed appreciation for balance. Visit patspeeps.com for merch and special offers, including a two-for-one dinner deal at Rock and Soul Diner—just mention Pat's Peeps when you visit!
Well, look who's back. It is the Pat's Peeps podcast. That's right, it's the Pat's Peeps podcast. How the heck are you? We're at number 324.
Speaker 1:Pats Peeps, today's a Tuesday, it's now September, the 2nd 2025. And as I peer out my studio window into the beautiful foothills of Northern California, it's a trippy day because it started off again. It was one of those days I woke up. I look out the window. I'm like oh, look at this Clouds. It was overcast and gray. I even heard a little bit of rain. However, now it has cleared away, the sun is out and we're probably back into the 90s. So, but at least it's not like 102, 103 like last week. But here I am, uh, back from a vacation. This is a matter of fact. This is the longest that I can remember not doing a show in a while. I'll just say that it's been a while. It's been five days. Why am I applauding? Because I'll be honest with you. I just honestly, I needed a break. I needed a break. Heck, I'm doing my show. By the way, I'm the host of the Pat Wall Show, heard on KFPK Radio in Sacramento, 93.1 FM, 1530 AM, the last radio man in terms as Rip calls me, in terms of my radio show being the last nighttime radio show local in the US. So, yeah, I go back to work tonight Excited about that. But, man, again I have had a nice week off.
Speaker 1:If you're wondering what I did, well, I didn't do anything Every day, I just wanted to do nothing. Whatever it was, I didn't want to have any plans. Here's the thing because I do the radio show, because I do the podcast, because I do a lot of social events, sometimes you get to the point where and no offense you just kind of need a break. That big on switch needs to be flipped to off for a moment. And that's what I did. And you know what? I got to see friends during that, which was very nice. I got to see a movie during this, which I'm going to tell you about, but I really, really, really needed it. I just needed this break, and so I'm glad I had it. But here we go back to work today and you know, when I'm off, there's all these things that I see and I really want to talk about. So I'll have a bunch to talk about here this evening on the radio show. This is also. Let's see, this is the first week of the NFL Regular season begins Thursday night with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Super Bowl, defending Super Bowl champions taking on the Dallas Cowboys. So I am excited about that. Again, I've said this before I do love this time of year when you have baseball headed down the final stretch and then football comes along Very good.
Speaker 1:Also, listen, before I go too far into this, did anyone, has anyone tried the two-for-one offer? Have you? Please, please, check it out. I mean, you'd be doing yourself a favor. Two-for-one dinner at Rock and Soul Diner on 10th Street downtown Sacramento. Rock and Soul Diner R-O-C and Soul S-O-L. All Rock and Soul Diner, r-o-c and Soul S-O-L. All right, two for one. And again, all you have to do is go in there and mention Pat's Peeps Any of our businesses at patspeepscom. All you do is mention Pat's Peeps and they give you the discount. Isn't that cool? No clipping the coupon, no app. And I have a merch store which we are working on every day, but we have cool stuff right there at patspeepscom and it's only going to get better. That that's wait till you see what we have to offer very soon.
Speaker 1:So I've got a record for today as well. Uh, yeah, the NFL starting. I'm not. I'm not really happy with these rivalry. You know rivalry uniforms that they're going to try to impose on the NFL this year. They're going to wear them for what I think, one or two games, and it's got to be against a division rival.
Speaker 1:I'm just so tired of the teams going black. You know my Rams they're blue and yellow. You know the Niners are red and gold, but now the Niners are going to have this. The Niners, to be fair, have had a black uniform before. That's something I never wanted my Rams to do, but they're going to do this thing. It's called Midnight, whatever. Only eight teams are doing it each year. It's like this very dark blue. Might as well just be black, but it's dark blue. Very disappointing to see these teams. They're just so over the top. If you want to sell merch, then you need to do something that, at least in my case, you don't sell me black merchandise. I'm not going to buy any of it. I'm a traditionalist and I like the old gear.
Speaker 1:So here's another thing that I'm kind of thinking of, stuff that I kind of want to make sure to mention this Saturday. What a monumental day. Thank you, dmv. Guess what I got my driver's license. Unfreaking-believable. So it was. Let's see. It was like, I don't know, six days, seven days short of being four months since I went in to get that driver's license and I finally got it on Saturday Truly amazing.
Speaker 1:Again, I don't know what's going on with the DMV photo. I don't know what distracted me at the last moment, but my head's all tilted up. I'm looking at something you know. The least they could have done is said hey, you know, maybe we'll take another photo. It looked like you were distracted by something. Maybe I was looking at the letters up there. I don't know what, but that's going to be the driver's license I'm stuck with, probably for the next God knows how long. But the point is I got my driver's license Amazing Almost four months to the day. But even if I would have had it, combined with the fact I had vacation, I'm all good to go wherever I feel like going. You know where I would not have gone. Burning man no, anyone listening? Go to Burning man. I'm going to have to talk about this on my show tonight.
Speaker 1:Burning man, first of all, that's not my thing. Burning man, I mean, I get it. I get sort of understand. I think parts of it. You know, it's kind of like Mad Max mixed with I don't know what you know, freaky sex and F Elon signs. And you know, weird. You know, like Dr Seuss, contraptions roaming the desert, weird. You know, like Dr Seuss, contraptions roaming the desert. And then you got your toilets, you got your outhouses. You don't get anything. I don't think they. I've never been to one, but I don't think they offer too much there in terms of Burning man itself offering any of the attendees pretty much anything. But I guess they do have outhouses, because what's the other option? Think about that. I don't know how many people, what 70,000? Are you kidding me? By the way?
Speaker 1:And this time at Burning man, they were having these huge dust storms, which is one of the main reasons I never want to go to Burning man. There's so many reasons I don't want to go, but these dust storms on the list they're somewhere near the top, right below. It just ain't my thing. I'm just not that. I don't know. If you're going to Burning man, good for you, I just ain't vibing with that. Okay, I'm just going to leave it like that. I'm not into the Mad Max, whatever stuff. The movies are all right. I'm just going to leave it like that. I'm not into the Mad Max, whatever stuff. The movies are right. I don't want to live it in the desert, and especially this time around.
Speaker 1:Did anyone see the dust storms mixed with the rain, creating this thick mud? So now you got these people walking around in these freak costumes and whatever they're wearing on their feet, whether it's just their feet or whatever they're wearing. Now that's all caked with this thick clay that doesn't even soak into the ground. It just creates this thick, oozing, disgusting mud. And people were stuck on the highway trying to get in for like five and a half six hours, can you imagine? And they're stuck and you can't go anywhere because, well, I guess that would mean you were stuck. That's kind of redundant, I guess. But then what I meant to say is you can't go and get away from the dust. You're inside your vehicle, but the dust is just ruining everything. Then you're wearing your mask and you're breathing in Same thing in 2023.
Speaker 1:Apparently, it was this big ugly rainstorm. It just ruined everything. Now can you imagine I cannot, I'm sorry. Imagine. There's no way I find it any fun to be sitting waiting to get into that mess for five and a half six hours. Remember last year when the freaks blocked the place. Remember that they were blocking it with their barricades and the sheriff showed up. Remember everyone that was in line last year? That was a whole story, until the sheriffs, or whatever, came in and moved them out physically. Yeah, I mean wind, dust, rain. They have created these dangerous conditions, these traffic delays. They actually halted airport operations, damaged these weird encampments. The 2023 Burning man was called the Mud Burn. That one resulted in severe flooding and both of these stranded attendees into this dense, thick mud. No thanks.
Speaker 1:And then, I'm sorry, what is up with the? What's up with the orgy dome? What are we doing here? What are we doing with the orgy dome? You know what this reminds me of. I'm telling you. It reminds me if you go back and watch the the ten commandments, the movie the ten commandments, and they're down there worshiping the cows or the golden cow or whatever. They were worshiping false gods. It's like. It is like futuristic worshiping false gods, sexual perversion, run amok On drugs. Thank you, thank you. I guess I won't be an ambassador for that anytime soon. You know, I just have no, just zero desire to be a part of any of this.
Speaker 2:Oh boy, we're getting some more rain.
Speaker 3:Unbelievable. This year's edition of the Burning man Festival is officially doomed. First, on opening weekend, a massive sandstorm destroyed hundreds of tents, tore apart shade structures.
Speaker 2:You will see the havoc, the destruction and severely damaged the havoc barely settled when the next disaster struck upon the festival.
Speaker 3:Not one, but multiple heavy rainstorms, turning the Playa into a miserable pool of mud.
Speaker 2:Uh-oh, this is not good.
Speaker 3:No thank you. On Sunday evening, roughly 24 hours after the dust storm, heavy rain swept over Black Rock City, transforming the flat desert floor into something entirely different, Unlike most places this Nevada desert has no natural drainage systems. It's a completely flat surface covered with alkaline dust. Disaster weather posting this Out there. Water doesn't drain, nor does it soak in. It mixes with the fine dust and forms a thick, clay-like mud. Within hours, the plier turned into a seven-mile-wide bowl of sludge that clung to everything Shoes, tires, bikes, tents. One witness described the chaos.
Speaker 1:So just walking.
Speaker 4:I was in the orgy dome when suddenly I Ten feet or so over from the tent to the car all these footprints. Just look at my boots, Like it's kind of heavy to pick my foot up.
Speaker 3:There's that much extra weight on there, that's your bad Camps that had just rebuilt after the sandstorm now faced a new battle keeping their shelters dry as water seeped in through every gap. That's like living hell to me Next night, as more rain fell in sheets and puddles spread across the city.
Speaker 1:Imagine getting that stuff in your underwear. You're in your sleeping bag. Unfortunately, you got the camp like. You got the camping set right up next to the orgy dome and you're hearing that all night Ah, ah. Meanwhile you're stuck with sand in your crotch.
Speaker 3:As more rain fell from the sky. Elevate your gear, keep generators out of puddles. Tape off your cords.
Speaker 1:The rain left misery in its wake I remember I was at work one time I was a sports guy and, um, I got a. I got an email from this guy it was. It was from uh, it was about burning man. Somehow he got my email, sends me an email. I'm work. Imagine this I'm at my desk at work, it's all quiet around the newsroom and I see the email and I'm like okay, and I click on it and it says something like oh, I'm a DJ too. I swear, this is the truth, I'm a DJ too. I said okay, cool, and he goes here's a couple of pictures of my DJ booth at Burning man. Here's a couple of pictures of my DJ booth at Burning man. I click on the attachment, it opens up it's full screen attachment and I'm telling you, it literally looked like Colonel Sanders holding a freaking poodle in a scissor lock In a camper.
Speaker 3:Yes, dude was nude, straight up nude, looking like Colonel Sanders. It sticks like cement to everything. The Playa got filled with left-behind bikes as attendants restored to their final means of transportation.
Speaker 1:One of the things I did during the vacation was I went to a movie. I went to this movie based on. I went with Robin the Interrupter, and I don't go to movies very often Rarely, I'll bet. I see in one year maybe one movie, maybe. So Ken Dawg, my movie reviewer, comes in the Friday before I went on vacation and he's really touting this movie. He's talking about it and I'm like, oh, it's a suspenseful, scary movie. The atmosphere is very scary and I like a good horror movie, but they don't make them very well in my opinion.
Speaker 1:And all the other movies, the superhero movies, forget it. I'm not going to go. The Batmans, the Ironmans, the whatever man, I'm not going, I'm not interested. So there are very few movies that I'm willing to go sit through. I'm always disappointed. Very rarely, am I not? You know, I go down the list. Asteroid City was the one before that. It was just so stupid.
Speaker 1:So, anyhow, I was determined to sit this one through and Ken Dye's out. I was sitting on the edge of my seat for this one. I couldn't believe it. This is really suspenseful. Josh Brolin is in it. Yeah, josh Brolin's a good actor. No country for old men. He's been in some good movies, I'm telling you man. Like Robin said, pat, there was at least four or five times in that movie where you were going to walk out. What a steaming pile. And I'm not going to come on and bash Ken Dog, but I am going to bring it up Ken Dog, dogsmoviehousecom, ken Jackman, a great guy, great movie reviewer. But we're going to go ahead and disagree on this one, as we do on many movies. But we're going to go ahead and disagree on this one, as we do on many movies. And this was, like I said, steaming pile, is the best compliment I can give it. I'll say this Now the best compliment is that Josh Brolin is actually a very good actor. You know, I think he's a good actor, but I don't know if he had bills to pay, I don't know. Maybe you'll think it's a much better movie than I did. Oh my God.
Speaker 1:And, by the way, going back to the Burning man thing, I did want to mention one more thing. You know how much a ticket is? This is what I heard. I could be wrong $550 for a ticket for Burning man, and they said there was 70,000 people in that muck. 70,000? At $5.50 a ticket Into the middle of nowhere, where they offer you no amenities whatsoever except porta-potties.
Speaker 1:Think about the dough they're making off of that. Someone was a genius. Let's just open this land that we can do zero with. There's nothing you're going to do in that Black Rock Desert. What are you going to do out there? Nothing is the answer. So you come up with this plan to have a festival of nothingness like nothing. Imagine what people would live out there and then have people live like that and then burn a big wooden structure in the figure of a big stick man to end the thing. So it seems like there's virtually no cost. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe someone will call me on that, I don't know, but there's no amenities and 550 a ticket and 70,000 people.
Speaker 1:The cost to get into the movie was much cheaper. It was a matinee price. But you know what the bottom line is you ain't getting your money back for either one. Both of them were a waste of time. I'm certain that there's been Burning Mans where they've been very successful. They wouldn't keep doing it. People have had a great time. I look forward to it. I get that, but hey, not my vibe either within the Burning man or the terrible movie that I just saw this week. I'm going to expand on that. On my show tonight I'm going to ask people their Burning man experiences and there should be some good stories about that, so I can't wait to hear them.
Speaker 1:Let's take a listen to this. This was sent to us. Listener content for a Tuesday. This was sent to us by Darlene Withaway our friend Darlene Withaway, the president of the Pat Walsh fan club, on social media and everywhere else. This is Holly Huff.
Speaker 1:You know, just recently I talked about the fact that I went to see Dead Company at Golden Gate Park 60th anniversary of the dead. I enjoyed it. Golden Gate Park 60th anniversary of the dead I enjoyed it. Am I a deadhead? I can't say that I'm a deadhead. Do I love the Grateful Dead? I can say that I do. As I mentioned before, I was at Jerry Garcia's memorial when he passed in 95 at Golden Gate Park. Here I was at the 60th anniversary of the dead. At Golden Gate Park I was at the 30th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. I've been to numerous dead shows, including Cal Expo, which Holly is going to mention here.
Speaker 1:So what she says about deadheads is absolutely true. I actually don't mind it. I kind of am intrigued and fascinated by it because I'm such a music guy, I get what they do. Matter of fact, I do this to people about music all the time. I'm like, yeah, you know, this song was done by such and such, it was released this year. And then I give a little tidbit, like I do on my radio show, like I do on my podcast. But here is Holly Huff. I thought this was pretty good and 100% true, and she's talking about deadheads.
Speaker 4:My friend is a deadhead. Any grateful deadheads in here? Oh, you guys are deadheads. What an insufferable group of people deadheads are. Settle down.
Speaker 4:I'm on a time limit, but my friend, he's obsessed with them. He's always trying to get me to listen to music. So finally, one day I caved. I was like all right, you get one album, send me the name, I'll listen to it beginning to end. And he's like well, I'm going to see Dead Company this weekend. You have to listen to them at the TD Garden Arena, boston from November 2017. I was there. It was amazing. And so I look it up and I start listening to it. I'm actually really enjoying it. I really start getting into the music. So I start texting him what I'm enjoying about the album and he goes hold on Are you listening to Dead Company At the TD Garden Arena, boston From November 17th 2017, or Dead Company At the TD Garden Arena, boston From November 19th 2017? And I said is there a difference, which was the wrong question? Or Dead Company at the TD Garden Arena, boston from November 19th 2017. And I said is there a difference? Which was the wrong question to ask?
Speaker 4:Because oh yes, there is a difference. And what was that difference? On November 17th 2017, at the TD Garden Arena, boston, they opened with the song Jack Straw, which was significant because the last time they opened with the song Jack Straw was July 8th 1995, at the Soldiers Field Stadium, chicago which was the second-to-last performance by Jerry Garcia before his death on August 9th 1995. But on November 19th 2017,.
Speaker 2:The TV bar moved to.
Speaker 4:Boston. They opened with the song Samson and Delilah, which was also significant because the last time they opened with that song was May 26th 1993, at the Cal Expo Amphitheater Sacramento.
Speaker 1:I was there. I was there.
Speaker 4:The version of Samson and Delilah recorded for the album Road Trips Vol 2, no 4, which was much more critically acclaimed than Road Trips Vol 2, no 1, 2, and 3. And then he goes. So do you understand now and I said yes, now I understand why people get so annoyed when I talk about Batman ah, thank you, darlene, with a Y, and she really has that down.
Speaker 1:She's absolutely right. Okay, I have a 45. I plucked from my rare 45 collection shelf and this is super cool because there's two of them. I'm going to pull them out of the sleeve. Oh my God, these records are in such beautiful, I mean perfect, perfect, virgin condition. These two records, oh my gosh, two of them in such beautiful condition, with no stickers, with no stamps, anything. It's on a yellowish sort of orangish-yellowish RCA. You probably know the record label these records are.
Speaker 1:One side is the long song, let's see hold on. One side is the long version, stereo. The other side is the short version stereo. The other record, long version stereo and the short version in stereo. I thought there might be a mono on that as well.
Speaker 1:But two of these records and I promise you, never, ever have been pulled out of that sleeve, this record sleeve, until I just did that, and we're talking 1969. I mean, I love stopping again and thinking about this. I just pulled these two records out of here. It's the first time I've ever pulled them out of the sleeve and they've been in this sleeve, sitting on a shelf waiting to be pulled out of this sleeve since June 20th 1969. No, excuse me, july 11th 1969. Wow, that was right before the moon landing, correct? Or right at the same time?
Speaker 1:Anyhow, song by an English singer-songwriter, very, very popular, released July 11th of 69 by Phillips and Mercury Records as a seven-inch single. It was then the opening track of the second studio album by this artist, produced by Gus Dugin, recorded at Trident Studios in London, also the same year as Woodstock. These records have been in his sleeve since Woodstock. Think about that. Yep, it's a tale about a fictional astronaut inspired by the 2001, a Space Odyssey in 1968. And this artist's feelings about alienation at that point in his career, and the sound of this departed from the music hall of his debut album to psychedelic folk. I guess you might call it Inspired by, nonetheless but guess who? The Bee Gees.
Speaker 1:This song was one of the most musically complex compositions that this artist had written up to this point, and they rush released a single to capitalize on the Apollo 11 moon landing, and it received critical praise. It was used by the BBC as background music during its coverage of the moon landing. This record initially sold poorly, but then it went to number five in the uk and became this artist's first and only chart hit for another three years. Then you add these, so I guess this is a reissue. I'm looking at reissues by rca records became bowie's first us hit in 72, his first number one in 75. Rerecorded an acoustic version in 79. This just goes on and on. It's about that fictional astronaut by the name of Major Tom and I'm sure that you know by now if you're sitting there guessing and going oh, I know what he's talking about. You know this is David Bowie about. You know this is David Bowie, david Bowie. We're going to play the long version.
Speaker 2:Again. Released July 11th 1969. Here on Pat's Peeps 324. Ground Control to Major Tom. Ground Control to Major Tom. To Major Tom, take your protein pills and put your helmet on. Ground control to Major Tom. Commencing countdown engines on Check ignition. Commencing countdown engines on Check ignition. And may God's love be with you. This is ground control to Major Tom. You've really made the grade, and the papers want to know whose shirt you wear. Now it's time to leave the capsule, if you dare. This is Major Tom to ground control.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening To Pat's Peeps 324. I look forward to getting back on the radio tonight Talking to you again. Please, if I ask, please, with a cherry on top, would you go to patspeepscom check out our businesses? Hey, at least get a two-for-one deal on a free dinner. Rock and Soul Diner, sacramento, ai Lending. You could win a free trip to Europe. Thank you, guys, love ya. Happy Tuesday. We'll see you on the radio.
