Live Wire! Radio

Series produced by Live Wire! Radio

Series image

Live Wire! from Portland, Oregon delivers old school variety with a modern twist. The perfect blend of original sketch comedy, music and interviews.

Live Wire is a one-hour weekly radio variety show recorded in front of a live audience. It’s music, it’s conversation, it’s sketch comedy. It’s the show that dared to put tap dancing, juggling and ballet on the radio. Live Wire highlights the best musicians and most fascinating writers, poets, dignitaries, artists we can find in the even more beautiful pacific northwest. The show broadcasts on terrestrial radio stations throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

From Garrison Keillor - March ‘07
"I like this new show that’s coming out of Oregon Public Radio. It’s called Live Wire, I sit and listen to it and a kind of light comes out of the radio speaker, a whole ‘nother view of human experience, and new voices which we need in public radio. I need, because I’m hoping to retire soon, I’m getting to that age on A Prairie Home Companion. And when I do, I want there to be shows on public radio that I can sit in my car, in my driveway and hang on their every word. Live Wire is one of those shows. It could be for Portland and Oregon, what Prairie Home is for Minnesota and St. Paul and Lake Woebegone.”

From Peter Sagal - November '08
"the (Live Wire!) audience is just drunk enough..." Hide full description

Live Wire is a one-hour weekly radio variety show recorded in front of a live audience. It’s music, it’s conversation, it’s sketch comedy. It’s the show that dared to put tap dancing, juggling and ballet on the radio. Live Wire highlights the best musicians and most fascinating writers, poets, dignitaries, artists we can find in the even more beautiful pacific northwest. The show broadcasts on terrestrial radio stations throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington.

From Garrison Keillor - March ‘07
"I like this new show that’s coming out of Oregon Public Radio. It’s called Live Wire, I sit and listen to it and a kind of light comes out of the radio speaker, a whole ‘nother view of human experience, and new voices which we need in public radio. I need, because I’m hoping to retire soon,...

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237 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
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-FM, Rhythm & News Service, WFYI 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-FM, Rhythm & News Service, Oregon Public Broadcasting, WFYI, 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, WFYI, 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
Caption: Corin Tucker of Corin Tucker Band, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Acclaimed author ROB REID. Author CHELSEA CAIN. Musical guest JOE PUG. Sleater-Kinney alum's solo project CORIN TUCKER BAND.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Sep 20, 2012
  • Length: 55:03
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Corin Tucker of Corin Tucker Band, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Acclaimed author ROB REID. Author CHELSEA CAIN. Musical guest JOE PUG. Sleater-Kinney alum's solo project, CORIN TUCKER BAND.

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


  • Added: Sep 20, 2012
  • Length: 59:02
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Mike Birbiglia, Comedian and star of the new film Sleepwalk With Me , Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Comedian and Filmmaker MIKE BIRBIGLIA. Journalist and video game designer MATT HARDING. Musical guests HELIO SEQUENCE.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Sep 14, 2012
  • Length: 55:01
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Mike Birbiglia, Comedian and star of the new film Sleepwalk With Me, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Comedian and Filmmaker MIKE BIRBIGLIA. Journalist and video game designer MATT HARDING. Musical guests HELIO SEQUENCE.

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


  • Added: Sep 14, 2012
  • Length: 58:58
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Fruit Bats, Eric D. Johnson, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author BRIAN DOYLE. Storyteller AMBER JO. Musical Guests FRUIT BATS.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Sep 06, 2012
  • Length: 54:59
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Fruit Bats, Eric D. Johnson, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author BRIAN DOYLE. Storyteller AMBER JO. Musical Guests FRUIT BATS.

Bought by Oregon Public Broadcasting and Rhythm & News Service


  • Added: Sep 06, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Hey Marseilles Indie Folk Band, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
ELIZABETH WEIL - Author of "No Cheating, No Dying: I had a Good Marriage and I Tried to Make it Better." IAN KARMEL - Stand-up comic, winner of t...

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Aug 29, 2012
  • Length: 55:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Hey Marseilles Indie Folk Band, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
ELIZABETH WEIL - Author of "No Cheating, No Dying: I had a Good Marriage and I Tried to Make it Better." IAN KARMEL - Stand-up comic, winner of t...

Bought by Rhythm & News Service and Oregon Public Broadcasting


  • Added: Aug 29, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Humorist & Author David Rakoff, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author, Commentator, Humorist David Rakoff, Author Jonathan Lethem plus musical guest 21 year old sensation Sara Jackson-Holman

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Aug 23, 2012
  • Length: 54:59
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Humorist & Author David Rakoff, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
Author, Commentator, Humorist David Rakoff, Author Jonathan Lethem, plus musical guest 21 year old sensation Sara Jackson-Holman

Bought by Rhythm & News Service and Oregon Public Broadcasting


  • Added: Aug 23, 2012
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Indie Pop band Lost Lander, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
AJ JACOBS - New York Times bestselling author. DAVID WOLMAN - Author and Journalist. LOST LANDER - Portland indie pop band.

Bought by KUOW


  • Added: Aug 09, 2012
  • Length: 55:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Indie Pop band Lost Lander, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
AJ JACOBS - New York Times bestselling author. DAVID WOLMAN - Author and Journalist. LOST LANDER - Portland indie pop band.

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


  • Added: Aug 09, 2012
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: New York Times Best-selling author of Wild, Cheryl Strayed, Credit: Jennie Baker for Live Wire!
CHERYL STRAYED - Best-selling Author LAUREN WEEDMAN - Actress, Writer, Humorist LAURA GIBSON- Singer/Songwriter

  • Added: Aug 16, 2012
  • Length: 55:00