Series Debuts Tuesday, November 24 @ 11 pm on IFC
New York, NY, September 11, 2009 – IFC has selected a rockin’ line-up of indie bands to join New York City chef Sam Mason, who recently challenged Iron Chef Morimoto on Iron Chef America, as he hosts the network’s new original series, Dinner with the Band, premiering Tuesday, November 24 at 11 pm, ET/PT in IFC’s "Automat," a four-hour block packed with exclusive uncut, uncensored alternative programming including testosterone-infused network premieres, originals, shorts, web shows, anime and more. The season’s featured bands include Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Kid Sister and Flosstradamus, Les Savy Fav, MEN, YACHT and Final Fantasy.
Dinner with the Band is the first alternative food show combining culinary delights, musical performances and conversations with some of the most acclaimed indie bands on the scene today. In each of the six, 30-minute episodes, Chef Mason invites one of his favorite touring bands to his Brooklyn loft where he adds his culinary spin to the bands’ favorite dishes while conversing with them about life and meals on the road. As an added bonus, each of the bands will perform three songs on the show.
To complement the show’s on-air play, IFC.com will feature bonus footage and behind-the-scenes moments from each episode, including two additional performances from each band.
Chef Mason is the former pastry chef of New York’s WD-50 and current proprietor of the contemporary dining and cocktail parlor, Tailor. A modern day pioneer of avant-garde cooking and a 2005 James Beard nominee, Mason brings a casual approach to his dishes that stimulate the palate as well as the dialogue.
Episode Line-Up:
Episode 1: Les Savy Fav – Premieres November 24 @ 11 pm
Formed in 1995, Les Savy Fav has grown into a band considered among the godfathers of the independent rock music scene and has released four albums with sales over 100,000 copies worldwide. They will perform "Yawn, Yawn, Yawn," "J’Taime" and "Patty Lee."
Episode 2: Kid Sister and Flosstradamus – Premieres December 1 @ 11 pm
Kid Sister with Flosstradamus has collaborated with Kanye West and their most recent singles have been released on Fool’s Gold records. They will perform "Right Hand Hi," "Pro Nails" and "Big Bills."
Episode 3: MEN – Premieres December 8 @ 11 pm
MEN is a Brooklyn-based band and art/performance collective that focuses on the energy of live performance and an exciting stage show. The band includes former Le Tigre members JD Samson and Johanna Fateman. They will perform "Credit Card Babies," "Make It Reverse" and "Simultaneously."
Episode 4: Final Fantasy – Premieres December 15 @ 11 pm
Final Fantasy (a.k.a. Owen Pallett) is the winner of the inaugural Polaris Award (annual music award given to the best full-length Canadian album based on artistic merit). The band has toured with Arcade Fire and their most recent album is set to be released by Downtown Records. They will perform "Midnight Directives," "Lewis Takes Action" and "This Lamb Sells Condos."
Episode 5: YACHT – Premieres December 22 @ 11 pm
YACHT’s most recent album is currently ranked #7 on iTunes. They will perform "Psychic City," "Summer Song" and "The Afterlife."
Episode 6: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – Premieres December 29 @ 11 pm
Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings are widely considered to be at the forefront of a revivalist movement that aims to recapture the feeling of soul and funk music as it was at its height in the late 1960s to mid 1970s. The band has had numerous collaborations with well-known artists, including Amy Winehouse. They will perform "100 Days, 100 Nights," "When I Come Home" and "Let Them Knock."
Dinner with the Band was created by brothers Darin and Greg Bresnitz, co-founders of the Brooklyn based Finger on the Pulse (www.fotpnyc.com), which encompasses their Diabolik Productions, a national culinary and nightlife events company, DJ brand and more. New Yorker magazine calls them the "late night Brooklyn institution." For Dinner with the Band, Diabolik Productions teamed up with producers Luke Riffle, Matt Reynolds and The Door – all Brooklyn based as well.
ABOUT IFC
Operating under the mantra "always, uncut," IFC (The Independent Film Channel) recommends and creates genre-bending content that indulges the alternative culture obsessions of our influential audience and makes it available across multiple platforms: on-air, online and On Demand. In pursuit of what’s new, next and relevant, IFC creates original non-traditional comedies like The Whitest Kids U’ Know and Z Rock and irreverent non-fiction such as The IFC Media Project. IFC’s original programming airs alongside a comprehensive independent film library of award-winning titles and cult classics, as well as content inspired by music, web, gaming, animation, news, culture and more. IFC broadens the audience for independent culture through its exclusive live coverage of notable film and music events like the Independent Spirit Awards and South by Southwest. The network’s On Demand offering, IFC Free, gives audiences the opportunity to watch premieres of IFC’s original series. IFC Media Lab Studios offers financing, professional development and distribution opportunities for aspiring film makers. IFC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC.
About 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, multiplatform content for global distribution, creating and managing some of the world’s most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC (The Independent Film Channel), WE tv, Sundance Channel, IFC Entertainment and VOOM HD Networks. Through IFC Entertainment, Rainbow Media also owns and manages the following: IFC Films, a leading U.S. distributor of independent and foreign film with a unique day and date distribution model, "IFC In Theaters," that makes films available to a national audience by releasing them simultaneously in theaters as well as on cable’s On Demand platform; IFC Festival Direct features titles acquired from major international film festivals and initially offers them exclusively through On Demand; IFC Productions, a feature film production company; and IFC Center, a state-of-the-art cinema in the heart of NYC’s Greenwich Village. Rainbow Media also operates Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, an advertising sales company; Rainbow Network Communications, a 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.