OPB State of Wonder

12/27/2020

TFW your kid designs a custom head for the kick drum for you and the spouse gets it made for Xmas. 💜🖤💜🖤

02/18/2020

Motorcycles as art? Why, yes! If you want to brush up on what a "hooligan race" is and see all the factions of misconceived biker culture check out this digital piece. And of course, there's a playlist 🏍🎸

The One Motorcycle Show in Portland started as an outsider's motorcycle show designed by people who appreciated bikes as art. It's grown into a world-class motorcycle celebration.

01/31/2020

Christopher Marley creates visually arresting designs out of bugs, snakes, birds, pretty much any critter that catches his eye. But it's not what you think, Marley doesn't hunt or kill for his art. He reclaims and preserves. And his elaborate finished pieces become more than their taxidermied parts. Steven Tonthat (State of Wonder alumni) has produced a wonderful video about Marley's process from freezer to gallery for Oregon Art Beat. And if you want to check it out for yourself, Marley's latest exhibition at OMSI is still up for view: https://omsi.edu/exquisite-creatures

Designs from the natural world in the form of colorful, sculptural insects and more are the building blocks for the unique work of Oregon-based artist Christopher Marley.

01/18/2020

"I'm not afraid of dissonance. And I wanted that song to have drone because grief is a low hum." We made a video of guitarist and composer Marisa Anderson with the good people at opbmusic.org. Watch it in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgwEcrwCkeQ

01/07/2020

Tattoo artist, Bob Jones () is not the kind of person one would imagine participating in a high-stakes, drama-filled, reality TV show. He’s low-key and reserved. He’s thoughtful and the proud father of a corgi named Maverick. He grew up in Beaverton. It seems unfathomable he could look dead-eyed into a camera with a straight face and utter, “I didn’t come here to make friends.” But tonight, Jones will be representing Oregon in the Season 13 premiere of “Ink Master: Turf War.” Wish him luck!

You can hear our audio story and check out the art that got him in the competition using the link below ⬇️⬇️⬇️

But on Tuesday, Jan. 7, Bob Jones will be one in a team of five, representing the West Side in the world premiere of Paramount Networks, “Ink Master: Turf War.

12/28/2019

The last State of Wonder of the year (and the foreseeable future). April was really proud of this one. She and then producer Aaron Scott teamed up with opbmusic and put out an excellent live radio broadcast. Listen to some great stories about Elliott Smith from those who knew him best. There are also sweet covers by some of this town's best musicians. Either/Or is a great Portland winter record, and if you need a reminder: https://open.spotify.com/album/1Od4S26RB37khls09dsUxL

Friends and colleagues of Elliott Smith look back at seminal songs that continue to inspire fans around the world.

12/22/2019

This week we're re-airing a confession, some stories we worked on needed more than a week to find their footing. If we're being honest, maybe even more than a couple months. So we decided to share our two hardest to produce stories, which in our opinion, made them some of the most rewarding pieces. And we also brought in photographer, Celeste Noche, to tell us about the time she went out in the middle of nowhere Scotland to pass out books from a mobile library. As always, our show airs Sat at noon, Sun at 10am, anytime on the podcast, and you can always find a link to the audio in the show page ↓↓↓

Sometimes good stories take a while. This week, long-awaited gems from Astoria’s Fisher Poets and an arts outpost in East Portland. Also, a photographer goes the extra 4,000 miles for the literary story she believes in.

12/19/2019

Cancel your plan this evening (or tomorrow evening) and please go to this. An Austin production lovingly made by its weirdo art scene is getting its Portland premiere this week and it stars OUR weirdo art scene. Don't miss out!!

Austin, Portland and Gotham, three weird sister cities that are all connected by the surprising amount of people who like to wear costumes in public. And now we also share a musical.

12/19/2019

We almost missed this one! Oregon's own, comedian Caitlin Weierhauser made their late-night debut last week!!! We're so proud of them!!!

If you want to hear them talk about being raised by wolves, like literally, in rural Oregon, and how they got to the place where they chose comedy over despair, check out the first segment in the episode linked below. ↓↓↓↓

https://www.opb.org/radio/programs/stateofwonder/segment/caitlin-weierhauser-oregon-college-art-craft-portland-creative-space/

Comedian Caitlin Weierhauser is the first girl born to their family in five generations. Watch Stephen Colbert's audience roll with laughter during Caitlin's...

12/14/2019

This one is for the punks. And for all the haters of the enduring grip of colonialism. A real crowd-pleaser. Honestly, these were some of the most entertaining conversations we've had the pleasure of recording. We spoke with punk icon John Doe of the band X and local q***rcore, rock legends Team Dresch, about the various fertile music scenes that made them.

And we get to hear how a tribe here in Oregon took max advantage of a loan (of their own artifacts!!!) from a British museum. This episode made the "you must listen to this one again" list because it reminds us that knowing your history and the knowledge it holds can be way more valuable than all the things we made or collected along the way.

Know your history: Stories from the L.A. punk scene, q***r punk in the ‘90s Portland music scene, and a Native museum gets quality time with tribal artifacts.

12/07/2019

If you miss April Baer as much as we do, you're in luck because this week is an all Baer rebroadcast where she is doing what she does best - nerding out on books. Hear her unpack food and body issues (not to mention complicated family relationships) with Kiese Laymon. Listen to stories about a famous wandering Oregon wolf (that's totally a thing check it out (Journey) Lone Wolf ) via Rosanne Parry. And lastly, you can experience April trying her best to keep her cool around master science-fiction writer, Ted Chiang (that movie "Arrival" was based on one of his short stories!). A fabulous show by a fabulous woman. Thank you, Baer!

Bump up your holiday reads with three spectacular writers, each grappling with human connection.

12/06/2019

Ok, grab your tissues first, then check out this ad made in the Philippines. The payoff is worth it, promise. And its message of inclusivity is something a lot of art and music venues still need to think about. If you want to hear more about how some local music lovers are trying to make it so EVERYONE can take part of the scene, check out this segment around the 35:06 mark from a SOW show we aired back in September!
https://www.opb.org/radio/programs/stateofwonder/segment/ruth-e-carter-thing-music-festival-american-sign-language/

Watch these kids join forces to work on a wonderful surprise. Star Wars: in cinemas December 20. The galaxy is yours when you visit https...