Dell Co-Presenting Sponsor of Music & Interview TV Series 'Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...'

Dell Co-Presenting Sponsor of Music & Interview TV Series 'Spectacle: Elvis Costello with...'

Sundance Channel and Dell Collaborate on Innovative 13-Part Series Blending Musical Performance and Conversation

Companies Team Up to Produce 13-Part Short Form Series 'Discovered' Profiling Established and Up-and-Coming Musicians

NEW YORK, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Sundance Channel today announced that Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) is a co-presenting sponsor for the upcoming series "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." The new television series provides a forum for in-depth discussions around music and influences featuring interesting artists and personalities as guests of Elvis Costello.

The 13-part hour-long weekly series hosted by Elvis Costello and co-produced by Sir Elton John's Rocket Pictures (with Elton John serving as one of the program's Executive Producers) and Tri-Fi Productions combines the best of talk and music television, providing a forum for in-depth discussion and performance. Dell is integrated through the series both on-air and online.

"Dell is helping engage people in a meaningful way with their passion areas though this partnership," said Kim Gabelmann, SVP Branded Entertainment and Partnerships Sundance Channel. "With its support of 'Spectacle' -- as well as the production of related short-form online content specifically for the Dell Lounge -- Dell brings a unique experience for fans to connect with established and emerging artists."

Dell's Integration
-- (Product) RED & Dell: Factoids will run throughout the series about
the AIDS pandemic in Africa, supporting Dell's commitment to (Product)
RED www.dell.com/productred, the campaign created to raise awareness
and money to fight AIDS in Africa.
-- "Dell Lounge" presence: Show guests and attendees interacted with the
latest Dell technology and experienced the custom content being
produced online to support the series.
-- Custom 13-part short form series, "Discovered": Profiles established
independent musicians and those on the verge of breaking out.
"Discovered" will air on Sundance Channel as in-break vignettes during
"Spectacle." Features are also streamed on the Dell Lounge
(www.delllounge.com), along with clips comprised of archival footage
and photography of featured artists from "Spectacle."

"We are excited to be part of the celebration of music, ideas and discovery that makes this program one-of-a-kind", said Michael Tatelman, Dell Vice President Consumer Sales & Marketing. "In addition to music and art, this activity also represents Dell's commitment to consumer's causes important to them like fighting AIDS in Africa."

About "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..."

Elvis Costello is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee; a Grammy(R) and Ivor Novello Award-winning (and Oscar(R)-nominated) songwriter and performer comfortable in almost every genre imaginable; a musicologist of formidable breadth and knowledge; a contributor to Vanity Fair Magazine; and a noted wit whose stint as guest host on The Late Show with David Letterman won rave reviews. Debuts on Sundance Channel on December 3, 2008 at 9:00pm et/pt.

"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." is a co-production of SpyBox Pictures, Prospero Pictures and reinvention entertainment (through Tri-Fi Productions of Toronto) with London's Rocket Pictures. Executive Producers are Sir Elton John, Elvis Costello, David Furnish, Steve Hamilton-Shaw, Jordan Jacobs, Martin Katz and Stephen Warden. Co-Executive Producer is Alex Coletti. The series also will be broadcast on CTV in Canada and Channel 4 in the UK beginning later this year. FremantleMedia Enterprises is handling sales internationally.

Musicians profiled in "Discovered":

Charlotte Sometimes

Taking her name from the heroine of children's book about time travel, singer/songwriter Charlotte Sometimes explores notions of alter egos and personalities in her full-length debut, Waves & the Both of Us. Filled with sharply drawn tales of love good and bad, Waves & the Both of Us reflects the singer's varied interests and influences, from dark poetry to dance beats, from Billie Holiday to indie folk. Describing the album, Charlotte says, "It's about all the different waves that live inside my head and heart, and how they affect others, myself, and the person I want or pretend to be."

Department of Eagles

Department of Eagles began in 2000, when NYU freshmen Fred Nicolaus and Daniel Rossen began making music together, collecting samples and turning them into songs using pirated software and a borrowed microphone. Their debut album, The Cold Nose, was released to raves in 2003. Rossen went on to join the acclaimed indie rock band Grizzly Bear, and now in 2008, he and Nicolaus have revisited Department of Eagles on a new album titled In Ear Park. Featuring members of Grizzly Bear in supporting roles, In Ear Park is an expansive album full of themes of nostalgia and mortality, joyful moments, lush production and concise, personal songwriting.

Forro in the Dark

Acclaimed New York band Forro in the Dark plays an updated style of the early 20th Century Brazilian dance music called forro. The band supplements traditional instrumentation with electric guitars, flutes, modern percussion and other contemporary instruments, capturing the immediate, pleasure-craving core of forro for modern audiences. Forro in the Dark is Mauro Refosco (zabumba, vocals); Gilmar Gomes (percussion, vocals); Davi Vieira (percussion, vocals); Guilherme Monteiro (guitar, vocals); Jorge Continentino (pifano, baritone sax, vocals); and Smokey Hormel (baritone guitar, slide guitar, vocals). Their full-length debut, "Bonfires of Sao Joao," included collaborations with David Byrne, Bebel Gilberto and Miho Hatori.

Richard Julian

After three independent-label releases, New York-based songwriter/guitarist/vocalist Richard Julian made his major-label debut in 2006 with Slow New York (Manhattan Records/EMI). Produced by Brad Jones and the partner-team of Lee Alexander and Norah Jones, the album earned raves in such publications as Entertainment Weekly, Harp Magazine, The Washington Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer, which praised Julian's "razor-sharp acoustic-spun vignettes" and "sparkling guitar work." Julian has also enjoyed success as a member of The Little Willies, a country side-project featuring himself, Norah Jones, and Jim Campilongo; and as a co-producer, writer, and performer on vocalist/songwriter Sasha Dobson's bossa-tinged Modern Romance.

K'naan

Somalia. The name alone conjures images of unbridled warfare and ruthless terror. But it's also "The Nation of Poets," with a vibrant arts culture. Both realities are reflected in the work of acclaimed musician/emcee K'naan Warsame, a Somali native who is now based in Canada. In January 2009, K'naan will release Troubadour, the follow-up to his Juno Award-winning 2006 debut, The Dusty Foot Philosopher. With Troubadour, K'naan continues to forge his own path through hip-hop, reggae, funk, pop and soul, in a disc that balances earnest tales of growing up and clever, braggadocio rhymes straight out of Big Daddy Kane's rhymebook.

Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles recently released her sophomore album, SoL-AngeL and the Hadley St. Dreams, a highly personal effort with lyrics that pull no punches. The album reflects her affinity for the classic melodies and messages of 60s and 70s soul, while incorporating subtle electronic influences that she has absorbed while living and working in Europe. Joining Knowles on the album are such acclaimed producers and artists as Cee-Lo, Pharrell, Mark Ronson and Motown legend Lamont Dozier. She was 16 when she released her debut album, Solo Star. The younger sister of Beyonce Knowles (Destiny's Child), Knowles has written numerous songs for the group and its individual members.

Erin McCarley

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Erin McCarley was one of the most rapturously received performers at this year's influential South by Southwest music conference in Austin, TX. Her elegantly crafted, deeply melodic songs, soaring voice and onstage charisma sparked industry-wide frenzy, eventually leading to a contract with Universal Republic Records. McCarley cites influences including Fiona Apple, Patty Griffin and Greg Laswell, and she places deep importance upon phrasing and delivery as well as honest, probing lyrics. McCarley's debut album, Love Save the Empty, features the single, "Pony (It's Okay)" and will be released in January 2009.

Colin Munroe

Canadian artist Colin Munroe cut his professional teeth as a writer and producer for some of Canada's top urban music artists before turning his attention to his own performing ambitions. In 2007, Munroe's buzz single "World of Pain" caught the attention of super-producer Dallas Austin, who offered guidance and championed Munroe to American labels. In early 2009, Universal Motown Records Group will release Munroe's debut album, Don't Think Less of Me, a quirky pop disc that reflects his love of early Van Morrison, U2 and The Beatles, as well as a production sensibility steeped in soul and hip hop.

Salt & Samovar

Salt & Samovar is a five-piece rock collective intent on writing the next great American songbook. Uniting classic rhythm & blues, psychedelia and garage rock with a keen melodic sensibility, their repertoire gathers the musical heirlooms of a cherished collective past. Their revival-like performances gain momentum from 19th century spirituals and group song; onstage, their energy resonates clearly across these historical lines, placing Salt & Samovar at the fore of a new brand of American music. The band is comprised of D.S. Moltz, Fiore Tedesco III, Dane Risch, Kelli Scarr and Jo Schornikoff. Moltz recorded the first Salt & Samovar LP, Old Joy, New Joy, released in January 2007.

Thao

With her perky strumming guitar, bluegrass tinged banjo, dry sense of humor and uninhibited vulnerability, Virginia-bred songwriter Thao Nguyen aces that rare trick of creating songs that sound happy but can be very sad. Featured on Kill Rock Stars' 2006 singer-songwriter compilation The Sound the Hare Heard, Thao released her first LP for the label, We Brave Bee Stings And All, in 2008. Using everything from an acoustic guitar strummed with a toothbrush to keyboards, horns and a full rhythm section with her band The Get Down Stay Down, Thao delivers 11 buoyant songs, full of catchy riffs and intimate lyrics juxtaposed with cheeky wit.

PT Walkley

PT Walkley is a multitasking musician from New York City. As a film composer, he has scored several full-length features, including three for award-winning actor/director Ed Burns. He also fronts NYC rock band The Blue Jackets, who recently opened for Coldplay. The 2007 release of PT Walkley and The Adventures of Track Rabbit caught plenty of attention, leading to a Dewars Whisky commercial featuring the album's ultra-catchy "Up The Walls." On January 27, 2009, Walkley will release his debut solo album, Mr. Macy Wakes Alone, a collection of interconnecting story-songs that delivers a lush, cover-to-cover listening experience.

Matt White

Matt White's 2007 debut album, Best Days, marked the arrival of a gifted songwriter who draws from his own experience. In the vein of Elton John, Jeff Buckley, and Coldplay, White's songs are highly relatable and deeply melodic. White, who plays piano and guitar, began his performing career in his native New York City, graduating from public parks to intimate clubs like Joe's Pub. As his following grew, he signed with Geffen Records, which released the EP Bleecker Street Stories in 2006. White's songs have been featured in several films and television series, including Shrek the Third, "The Hills" and "Men in Trees."

The Virgins

Recently named one of Alternative Press's "100 Bands You Need to Know," The Virgins are a downtown New York quartet comprised of songwriter/performer Donald Cumming, bassist Nick Zarin-Ackerman, guitarist Wade Oates, and drummer Erik Ratensperger. Their self-titled debut was released on Atlantic Records in June 2008, and reflects musical influences like The Velvet Underground as well as the band's unpretentious ethos. They have received a flurry of ecstatic press accolades, and The Virgins' first single, "Rich Girls," debuted as MySpace's "Single of the Week" on May 5th. Their music has also been featured on the cult TV series "Gossip Girl."

ABOUT DELL INC.

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com, or to communicate directly with Dell via a variety of online channels, go to www.dell.com/conversations. To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.

ABOUT SUNDANCE CHANNEL

Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel is the television destination for independent-minded viewers seeking something different. Bold, uncompromising and irreverent, Sundance Channel offers audiences a diverse and engaging selection of films, documentaries, and original programs, all unedited and commercial free. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of encouraging artistic freedom of expression. Sundance Channel's website address is www.sundancechannel.com.

RAINBOW MEDIA HOLDINGS LLC

Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Rainbow Media is a leading producer of targeted, multi-platform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world's most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, WE tv, Sundance Channel and VOOM HD Networks. Through IFC Entertainment, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a leading distribution company for independent film; IFC Productions, a feature film production company that provides financing for select independent film projects; and IFC Center, a three screen, state-of-the-art cinema in the heart of New York's Greenwich Village. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales company; Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company; and 11 Penn TV, a company that manages Rainbow Media's NYC studios and post-production facilities.

Source: Sundance Channel

CONTACT: Sarah Eaton, +1-212-708-8043, sarah.eaton@sundancechannel.com,
or Katie Lanegran, +1-212-708-8044, katie.lanegran@sundancechannel.com, both
of Sundance Channel

Web Site: http://www.dell.com/
http://www.sundancechannel.com/

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