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

634 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Anis Mojgani
Some of our favorite Memorable Moments, including The Decemberists' Colin Meloy, Christopher Moore, The Lonely Forest, Taylor Mali

  • Added: Dec 31, 2010
  • Length: 59:11
Caption: Lizz Winstead, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire
Guests include: comedian Lizz Winstead, singer/songwriter Bobby Bare, Jr., and The Portland Opera.

  • Added: Jan 07, 2011
  • Length: 58:58
Caption: Gus Van Sant, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include: Filmmaker Gus Van Sant, Carrie Brownstein from the new IFC series "Portlandia", world music drummer Obo Addy.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Jan 13, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Michael Curry
Best of 2010 Show - guests include: Puppeteer Michael Curry, author Steve Almond, musical guest John Roderick.

  • Added: Jan 27, 2011
  • Length: 58:57
Caption: Maria Bamford
Guests include: Comedians Maria Bamford and Tig Notaro, plus actor/comedian from TV's COMMUNITY, Danny Pudi. Musical guest folk singer Michelle Sho...

Bought by WNJR


  • Added: Feb 03, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Dan Savage
Guests include: syndicated advice columnist Dan Savage, poets Derrick Brown and Claudia Handler, musical guests John Roderick and Holcombe Waller.

  • Added: Feb 17, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
Caption: John Roderick, Jonathan Coulton, John Hodgeman
Guests include: Chuck Barris, Dave Frishberg, Bruce Campbell, John Hodgman, Jonathan Coulton and John Roderick, Alison Bechdel and Lynda Barry and...

  • Added: Feb 19, 2011
  • Length: 58:59
Caption: The Timbers Army, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include Timbers owner Merritt Paulson, fisher poet Moe Bowstern, musical guest Langhorne Slim.

Bought by WCPN, WGBH Radio Boston, and WNJR


  • Added: Feb 24, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Karen Russell, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include: Author Karen Russell, salt expert Mark Bitterman, musical guests Cave Singers.

Bought by WGBH Radio Boston and WNJR


  • Added: Mar 03, 2011
  • Length: 58:55
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Wesley Stace
Guests include: Author Wesley Stace aka musician John Wesley Harding, Eastern European gypsy/jazz/klezmer punk band Chervona and storyteller Aaron ...

Bought by WGBH Radio Boston and WNJR


  • Added: Mar 11, 2011
  • Length: 58:58
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Live Wire! cast, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include: the multitalented Christine McKinley of the History Channel's "Decoded", author and Americana expert Kurt Reighley, with musical gu...

Bought by WCPN, WGBH Radio Boston, and WNJR


  • Added: Mar 17, 2011
  • Length: 58:57
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Priory, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include: Artistic Director of the acclaimed Oregon Shakespeare Festival, indie filmmaker Matt McCormick, musical guests the indescribable Pr...

Bought by WCPN, WNJR, and WGBH Radio Boston


  • Added: Mar 25, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Andre Dubus III, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include: Acclaimed author Andre Dubus III, storyteller Roey Thorpe and musical guest Tony Furtado.

Bought by WNJR


  • Added: Apr 01, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Rocky Votolato, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests Include: inventor of the Wiki, Ward Cunningham, Oregon Book Award finalist Emily Chenoweth and musical guest from Seattle, Rocky Votolato.

Bought by WNJR


  • Added: Apr 08, 2011
  • Length: 58:59
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: AGESANDAGES, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include writer and filmmaker Jon Raymond, the Third Angle Ensemble with composer Eve Beglarian and 7 peice band AGESANDAGES.

Bought by WNJR


  • Added: Apr 14, 2011
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Chelsea Cain, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include: New York Times bestselling thriller author Chelsea Cain, essayist and blogger Stacy Bolt and musical guest Holcombe Waller.

Bought by WNJR


  • Added: Apr 21, 2011
  • Length: 58:57
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Todd Haynes, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Guests include: Filmmaker Todd Haynes, Author Anne Lamott and musical guest Sophe Lux.

Bought by WNJR


  • Added: Apr 28, 2011
  • Length: 58:57
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Beth showed us why her SF Porchlight reading series has a reputation for being so funny and smart..., Credit: Jennie Baker
Guests include Author Mike Sacks, Humorist / Essayist Beth Lisick, and musical guests Celilo (Americana rock and roll)

Bought by WCPN and WNJR


  • Added: May 05, 2011
  • Length: 58:58
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Other than some very serious and beautiful songs, David was a crackup!, Credit: Jennie Baker
Guests Include Author/Sexual Revolutionary Susie Bright, Poet Matther Dickman, and musical guest songwriter David Bazan.

Bought by WNJR


  • Added: May 12, 2011
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: It's amazing how life affirming it is to talk about dying people with Peter Richardson., Credit: Jennie Baker
Guests Include Documentary Director Peter Richardson (How to Die in Oregon), Museum founder and non-car traveller Boaz Frankel, essayist Margaret M...

  • Added: May 19, 2011
  • Length: 59:00