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.

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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

651 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Portlandia's Carrie Brownstein, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
CARRIE BROWNSTEIN - Actress, singer and author LOIS LEVEEN - Author FEDERALE - Musical guests

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Nov 29, 2012
  • Length: 54:59
  • Purchases: 1
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CARRIE BROWNSTEIN - Actress, singer and author LOIS LEVEEN - Author FEDERALE - Musical guests

Bought by Oregon Public Broadcasting, KWMR, Rhythm & News Service, 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, 90.5 WESA and more


  • Added: Nov 29, 2012
  • Length: 58:59
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: NPR's White House Correspondent Ari Shapiro, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
ARTHUR BRADFORD - Documentarian ARI SHAPIRO - NPR's White House Correspondent THOMAS LAUDERDALE - Pianist for Pink Martini SARAH JACKSON-HOLMAN ...

Bought by 90.1 WFYI Public Radio and KUOW


  • Added: Nov 22, 2012
  • Length: 55:02
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: NPR's White House Correspondent Ari Shapiro, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
ARTHUR BRADFORD - Documentarian ARI SHAPIRO - NPR's White House Correspondent THOMAS LAUDERDALE - Pianist for Pink Martini SARAH JACKSON-HOLMAN ...

Bought by 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Rhythm & News Service, KWMR, 90.5 WESA and more


  • Added: Nov 22, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Swedish singer, Jens Lekman, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
CHERYL STRAYED - Author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things JACK OHMAN - Editorial Cartoonist JENS LEKMAN - Swedish musician

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Nov 16, 2012
  • Length: 54:55
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Swedish singer, Jens Lekman, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
CHERYL STRAYED - Author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things JACK OHMAN - Editorial Cartoonist JENS LEKMAN - Swedish musician

Bought by Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, KWMR, 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, 90.5 WESA and more


  • Added: Nov 16, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Peter Ames Carlin Author of Bruce: Biography of Bruce Springsteen, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author PETER AMES CARLIN, Filmmaker CHEL WHITE and musical guest EZZA ROSE

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Nov 09, 2012
  • Length: 55:01
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Peter Ames Carlin Author of Bruce; Biography of Bruce Springsteen, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author PETER AMES CARLIN, Filmmaker CHEL WHITE and musical guest EZZA ROSE

Bought by 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Rhythm & News Service, KWMR, 90.5 WESA and more


  • Added: Nov 08, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
A special "compelling combinations" Live Wire: Cartoonists Alison Bechdel and Lynda Barry Poet Laureate Paulann Peterson, Gong Show creator and aut...

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Nov 02, 2012
  • Length: 55:00
  • Purchases: 1
Piece image
A special "compelling combinations" Live Wire: Cartoonists Alison Bechdel and Lynda Barry Poet Laureate Paulann Peterson, Gong Show creator and aut...

Bought by 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, 90.5 WESA, Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, KWMR and more


  • Added: Nov 02, 2012
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Prolific Novelist, Kurt Andersen, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
KURT ANDERSEN - Host, Author & Journalist MARIA SEMPLE - Author & television writer DAVID BAZAN - Singer/Songwriter

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Oct 26, 2012
  • Length: 55:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Prolific Novelist, Kurt Andersen, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
KURT ANDERSEN - Host, Author & Journalist MARIA SEMPLE - Author & television writer DAVID BAZAN - Singer/Songwriter

Bought by 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, Rhythm & News Service, KWMR, 90.5 WESA, Oregon Public Broadcasting and more


  • Added: Oct 26, 2012
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Soul Singer & Author Bettye LaVette, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
STORM LARGE - Singer/Songwriter & Author ERIN MORGENSTERN - Acclaimed Novelist BETTYE LAVETTE - Soul singer & Author

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Oct 19, 2012
  • Length: 54:59
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Soul Singer & Author Bettye LaVette, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
STORM LARGE - Singer, Songwriter & Author ERIN MORGENSTERN - Acclaimed Novelist BETTYE LAVETTE - Soul singer & Author

Bought by WCPN, 90.5 WESA, KWMR, Rhythm & News Service, 90.1 WFYI Public Radio and more


  • Added: Oct 19, 2012
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: American folk musician Willy Porter, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
DAN SMITH author of Monkey Mind; Comedian and author of Tasteful Nudes, DAVE HILL; Musical Guest, WILLY PORTER.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Oct 12, 2012
  • Length: 55:01
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: American folk musician Willy Porter, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
DAN SMITH author of Monkey Mind; Comedian and author of Tasteful Nudes, DAVE HILL; Musical Guest, WILLY PORTER.

Bought by KWMR, Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, 90.5 WESA and more


  • Added: Oct 12, 2012
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Issa Rae, Creator of the web series, "The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl", Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Writer and Director of ParaNorman CHRIS BUTLER. Writer and web series director ISSA RAE. Musical Guests FINN RIGGINS.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Oct 04, 2012
  • Length: 55:02
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Issa Rae, Creator of the web series "The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl", Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Writer and Director of ParaNorman CHRIS BUTLER. Writer and web series director ISSA RAE. Musical Guests FINN RIGGINS.

Bought by Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 90.1 WFYI Public Radio, WCPN, and 90.5 WESA


  • Added: Oct 04, 2012
  • Length: 58:58
  • Purchases: 5
Piece image
Comedian EUGENE MIRMAN. Documentarian D.A. PENNEBAKER. Musical guest STEVE POLTZ.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Sep 28, 2012
  • Length: 55:02
  • Purchases: 1
Piece image
Comedian EUGENE MIRMAN. Documentarian D.A. PENNEBAKER. Musical guest STEVE POLTZ.

Bought by Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 90.5 WESA, and WCPN


  • Added: Sep 27, 2012
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 4