Live Wire

Series produced by Live Wire! Radio

Series image

Live Wire artfully blends unpredictable conversation, live music, and original comedy from all types of cultural talent and creative minds, from emerging artists to established acts.

NOTE: This program is available to PRX affiliates. For more information please email memberships@prx.org.

Hosted by Luke Burbank (Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, CBS Sunday Morning), the show is taped in front of a live audience in Portland, Oregon and reaches over 300,000 listeners via 150 public radio stations across the country (including WAMU in DC, KUOW in Seattle, KJZZ in Phoenix, Minnesota Public Radio, and more).

Past guests include writers and authors such as George Saunders, Cheryl Strayed, Hanif Abdurraqib, Lindy West, Chuck Klosterman, Salman Rushdie, and Gary Shteyngart; performers and comedians John Hodgman, Paul F. Tompkins, Abbi Jacobson, Michael Ian Black, Jackie Kashian, Naomi Ekperigin, Ian Karmel, Phoebe Robinson, Andy Kindler, and Reggie Watts; and film directors Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Lynn Shelton, and Chapman & Maclain Way (Wild Wild Country). Past musical guests include Helio Sequence, The Dandy Warhols, Meklit, Laura Gibson, Open Mike Eagle, Pink Martini, Jonathan Coulton, and Bilal, to name a few.

Hide full description

Hosted by Luke Burbank (Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, CBS Sunday Morning), the show is taped in front of a live audience in Portland, Oregon and reaches over 300,000 listeners via 150 public radio stations across the country (including WAMU in DC, KUOW in Seattle, KJZZ in Phoenix, Minnesota Public Radio, and more). Past guests include writers and authors such as George Saunders, Cheryl Strayed, Hanif Abdurraqib, Lindy West, Chuck Klosterman, Salman Rushdie, and Gary Shteyngart; performers and comedians John Hodgman, Paul F. Tompkins, Abbi Jacobson, Michael Ian Black, Jackie Kashian, Naomi Ekperigin, Ian Karmel, Phoebe Robinson, Andy Kindler, and Reggie Watts; and film directors Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Lynn Shelton, and Chapman & Maclain Way (Wild Wild Country). Past musical guests... Show full description


Additional Files

637 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Piece image
This episode features comedian Hari Kondabolu (Snack vs. Chef) and singer-songwriter Margo Cilker.

  • Added: Feb 22, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
Piece image
This episode features New Yorker writer Kathryn Schultz, football coach Keanon Lowe, and music from singer-songwriter John Craigie.

  • Added: Feb 16, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
Piece image
This episode features poet Saeed Jones, writer Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and indie-folk duo The Lowest Pair.

  • Added: Feb 10, 2023
  • Length: 59:01
Piece image
This "Black History Month" special episode features comedian and TV writer Sam Jay, publisher Jelani Memory, and music from Leyla McCalla and Black...

  • Added: Feb 02, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features chef and writer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, comedian Sara Schaefer, and music from indie rock group Dehd.

  • Added: Jan 26, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features legendary filmmaker John Waters, writer Sasha LaPointe, and music from Deep Sea Diver.

  • Added: Jan 20, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features podcaster Aubrey Gordon, standup comedian Chris Meija, and music from Danielle Ponder.

  • Added: Jan 13, 2023
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features celebrated chef and restaurateur Gregory Gourdet, plus music from singer-songwriter No-No Boy.

  • Added: Dec 22, 2022
  • Length: 59:01
Piece image
This episode features actor and comedian Molly Shannon and music by South African rocker Tuelo.

  • Added: Dec 22, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features comedian Paul F. Tompkins, podcast host Sarah Marshall, and music from jazz vocalist Jimmie Herrod.

  • Added: Dec 19, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features podcaster and writer Nora McInerny, music industry entrepreneur Nabil Ayers, and singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham.

  • Added: Dec 16, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features comedian and podcaster Jamie Loftus, writer and publisher Jelani Memory, and music from Tolliver.

  • Added: Dec 08, 2022
  • Length: 59:01
Piece image
This episode features writer and frontman of The Mountain Goats John Darnielle, plus rapper and podcaster Dessa.

  • Added: Dec 02, 2022
  • Length: 59:01
Piece image
This episode features writer George Saunders and music from Samantha Crain.

  • Added: Nov 24, 2022
  • Length: 58:59
Caption: Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
This episode features writer and mountaineer Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, comedian Curtis Cook, and music from singer-songwriter Patterson Hood of Drive-...

  • Added: Oct 28, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features Washington Post reporter Casey Park and singer-songwriter and The Voice finalist Thunderstorm Artis.

  • Added: Nov 07, 2022
  • Length: 59:01
Piece image
This episode features poet Kaveh Akbar, writer Danielle Henderson, and music from indie rock band Deep Sea Diver.

  • Added: Nov 04, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features satirist Ginny Hogan, Oregon's Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani, and music from jazz vocalist Jimmie Herrod.

  • Added: Oct 27, 2022
  • Length: 59:01
Piece image
This episode features writer Gary Shteyngart, comedian Atsuko Okatska, and music from indie folk duo The Lowest Pair.

  • Added: Oct 20, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
Piece image
This episode features Conan O'Brien's assistant Sona Movsesian, stand-up comedian Marcella Arguello, and music from Brown Calculus.

  • Added: Oct 13, 2022
  • Length: 59:00