I love everything about this show. It’s perfect company when I’m in the kitchen cooking or commuting to work. The Best News is a really unique (refrettably) portion and always makes my day brighter. Thanks Luke, Elena, and team for such a beautiful show.

Live Wire has an incredible spectrum of guests, topics, discussions and musical guests that provides a palate cleanser after drudging through the usual news and politics of the day.

Love the show. You’ll hear most episodes often enough to memorize them.

Livewire is the perfect reprieve from the 24/7 political podcasts that formerly consumed my days. I was drained and desperately needed laughter, positive thought, and re-ignited enthusiasm when I found Livewire. I cannot recommend this vacation for the soul enough!

I discovered Livewire during my weekend NPR listening routine while living in Portland, and it quickly became a can’t-miss, with terrific interviews of interesting writers and musicians. I’m always discovering something or someone new! When we moved back to Olympia, WA, the first show I heard featured my hometown in the Station Location segment. I was so excited to know the answer! Go Geoducks! 😊

Live Wire is the sunshine that starts my weekend. I love “The Best News.” Every week I try to beat Elena to the the new city that airs Live Wire. I have only won once. Elena is so smart. Luke is an excellent interviewer, bringing out the best in every guest. He motivates me to Google at least one of the guests after each episode. Many years ago he turned me on to George Saunders. Thanks! The music segment has a different genre every week, yet all are uplifting. The blind woman he had on last week was incredible.

Really appreciate yo humor and bright

Thanks for the good news

Why in the world would you have a man speak for marlee matlin? Anyone who tuned in past about thirty seconds in was lost. I was until I searched who was guest this week. Maybe it was her choice but regardless it was extremely confusing. Love you guys y’all are my weekend staple. Criticizing with love…💚

Each week I put in live wire when I need jovial, kind, thoughtful, creativity in my day! Love the show!

Fantastic hosts, witty and smart and I love Elena’s warmth and wonderful weirdness, and I learn so much from guests I’d never have encountered otherwise. One of my favorite shows!

Live Wire is extremely entertaining. Guest interviews are enlightening and funny, the music is fresh, the stand-ups are hilarious, the co-host banter is both warm and witty.

Love the show

Funny, fascinating and profound guests every show

Luke & Elena are superb.

This is mean, dismiss me as petty, whatever makes you feel good about yourself, but; like,like, like, like, like, like, he was like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like,... think it’s an exaggeration? Give one of your episodes a listen and count them. Guest comes on and most of the time they also resort to; like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like,.... At least you don’t resort to the vastly over used “literally” as much as some other podcast folks, I’ll give you that. I gave your podcast the old college try, there’s much that could be enjoyed here, but but the experience is ruined by the hideous overuse of “like”, it just is, and you can dismiss me as a crank, fine, you can try to rest on the notion that “this is how people talk now”, sure, but not challenging yourselves into a bit of constructive listening of your own show, condemns it to sounding as though it’s produced by enthusiastic teenagers who’re clinging to a forever state of tentative adulthood, as if you’re afraid of speaking DIRECTLY, and resort to forced metaphor (that’s what “like” is) because direct expression of thoughts is either rude or I don’t know,... It’s an affectation that a segment of the population of young folks, mostly white too, have taken on, probably in the same mindless way that previous generations took on speech patterns,... Please, at least consider the idea that there are different ways to speak than resorting to “like” for every sixth word.

Maybe one in ten guests. This is becoming a boys' club show. Male voices are all I hear on the show, while the credits name numerous women, and the donors, too. How about a little equal representation, eh?

I have enjoyed hearing Luke on Wait Wait for years and always found him funny. With Livewire he has created something wonderful that is a perfect showcase for his, and others, talents. His skills as an interviewer and host are spot on. Having a highly enthusiastic audience really helps give the show a sense of momentum not found on most podcasts. As a person who recently moved to Portland Oregon I have very much appreciated the local focus blended in with the national guests and themes. Luke shares a vulnerability with the audience that lets you know this is the real deal. I have been introduced to so many cool musicians, comedians, newscasters, podcasters, artists, sewer workers and sheep famers, amongst others, with all of them being given their chance to shine. The band is tight and so is the production. Watching the show live once was a blast as well and I look forward to attending more tapings. I can’t wait for the next season. Thanks

You get a nice variety of music, comedy, and interesting interviews with this show. The live audience gives it a nice energy. Enjoyable!

Great variety show. Great guests. Host Burbank is hilarious.

I just listened to the labor day episode with a fantastic interview with Joey Harrington on my local affiliate KUOW. This needs to be in my podcast rotation again!

trying to find the newest episodes!

Just boring and not usually very funny. They do have good music artists on however.

A hilarious and endearing radio variety show. Fun interviews with interesting guests, excellent musical acts, and awkward-funny anecdotes from host Luke Burbank. A great way to spend about an hour. One of my favorites.

I came to Live Wire Radio via TBTL (Too Beautiful To Live). It is very refreshing and interesting. I like the format and variety of guests. I hope more NPR stations pick it up. I wish I had discovered it sooner.

This is a fantastic radio show. I'm so glad it's a podcast as well, as it's not broadcast in my area...YET! The host (Luke Burbank of another really great podcast, Too Beautiful to Live, and Wait, Wait, etc.) is funny and always entertaining with his personal stories. They have terrific smart and funny guests and always super music! So much to enjoy!

...it makes me think. This is one the best podcasts out there. Great guests, smart staff, plus new music every week.

About half the new Portland bands I discover come from LiveWire. Love Luke!

The show is fresh, funny, and full of heart. Excellent guests, great music, and Luke Burbank is a charismatic host. It's like one stop shopping for your cultural fix!

I love the new format. I've always thought podcasts should be different than LIVE version. If you went to a taping of Livewire, there is a so much more in the podcast. Nice interview with Sir Mix A-Lot to add to the whole Baby Got Back Glee story. Luke Burbank is making this show rock!

Interesting and funny and sweet. Such an awesome couple and great gross history.

Have been going to the live shows since the early days at the Aladdin Theater, receive the podcast and listen to the actual radio show whenever possible. I love the variety, the quality content and the humor. Hats off to the hard work and creativity! Live Wire is a real WIN!!!

I really like this show, but I live here in the Pacific Northwest. Authentic, funny and very listenable. Great to have in the headphones during a workout session or on the radio during a drive. While I miss Courtenay as the host, Luke Burbank is growing on me. If you're ever in Portland for a live taping, it is worth the $25.00.

Live Wire! has a wonderful diversity and continues to pull in excellent guests. I've been listening to this both on the radio and via podcast for years. (As well as some live performances.)

Live music? check. Sketch comedy? check. Funny and engaging interviews? check. All of that on stuff crammed into my iPod? -- check check check! "Live Wire" is a great way to be at a live radio variety show without actually having to attend a live radio variety show. Well done!

Live Wire is a great combination of music, humor, and literary criticism. It never fails to satisfy my hunger for intelligent humor and new music. We never miss a show and we love to see it live when we can. We even listen to the shows we attended when they air. Is that too much? The writers are most talented and the folks who book the guests have a firm thumb on the pulse of Portland lost and found.

Livewire Radio takes sketch comedy, live music, and fascinating people and stirs them together to create a tasty gumbo that they then use to nourish and revive the fading art of Radio Variety Programs. Have a taste won't you?

When a show like SNL makes fun of someone or something it's because it's funny. When Livewire makes fun it's because they think they are better than everyone, and every thing that came before. Just a bunch of hipster ______.

I feel like this show respects my dignity and intelligence while still allowing me to laugh at a few childish jokes along the way. Some folks think of this show as smug, pompous, or what have you. This is a misinterpretation of the shows refusal to assume that its audience is stupid or uninformed. And no, they don't have guests of the celebrity status that Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me has, but they don't have the audience size that Wait Wait has. A few more good reviews, bigger podcast audience, and hopefully other NPR stations will pick it up. Then (perhaps) you'll have a hilarious interview with Ice T.

I love the urban, grittier take on "A Prairie Home Companion" style live variety shows! I've been following this show all through the '00s and appreciate its musical guests and interesting guests.

I don't like being pandered to. Live Wire! never reaches a happy medium. It is either too smug and too good for you or it panders to you and begs you to think that it's funny and it hardly ever is. Sometimes it's a little better than this if you see it live but most of the entertainment should work in podcast too but really it doesn't. I want to live Live Wire! but I just don't.

You have to love Portland. They try really hard to be hip, modern, and relevant. Yet for all of their effort, this is the best they can do. A few episodes featuring the same tired old Pacific Northwest dinosaurs. Dan Savage? Oh come on. Storm Large? That ship hasn't sailed yet? Please. Portland deserves better. It's too bad they always feel the need to promote the mediocre so that everyone feels good about it. OPB's rather conservative Think Out Loud show puts this to shame, at least it makes you think. Live Wire! just leaves you feeling like you want your hour back.

Most Stumptown natives and many folks not fortunate enough to be born in the Northwest know that Live Wire! truly rocks. A tiny band of radio soldiers battle big icky corporate radio programs and not only win, but stick the corpse on a stick and dance around it. You listen, you'll agree.

Better writing than Prairie Home Companion - more youthful and edgy. And none of that irritating breathing through the nose every few words like PHC's famous self-infatuated host. Not every skit or premise is spot-on, but that's the nature of creative experimentation. Bare with it and you'll have at least 35-40 minutes of good solid entertainment every show from a wonderfully talented ensemble and show guests.

Reminds me of Saturday Night Live back when it was funny. Playful skits and clever interviews. LOVE the Bruce Campbell and Darkhorse interview. The comic book goddess in me was very pleased. Part corn, part fluff, all va va voom. Flirty and fun this podcast is completely worth your time.

Been a big fan of the live show from early on but never find myself at home when it airs on Saturday night. Great to be able to listen to the shows when I want. I love the Faces For Radio sketch comedy bits. And to see Courtenay is to love Courtenay...

I like the filling, but not the crust. If you can get past the smug, smarmy and self-congratulatory tone of the show, they actually feature pretty talented and entertaining guests. I'm not a fan of Prarie Home Companion, and Live Wire! verges dangerously close the same schtick at times. But hey, that may be exactly what floats your boat.

Wonderfully entertaining! The shows are funny, poignant and informative. Thanks Live Wire!