“Spectacle: Elvis Costello With…”

Elvis Costello is known for many things. A patriarch of the British new wave movement, he helped keep Buddy Holly glasses rock n’roll, brought us astute observations in the form of meticulously crafted puns, and has even had his share of very public racist accusations, ala Morrissey and Lauryn Hill. In addition, on his run of the celebrity gambit, Costello will be hosting music-oriented talk show on the Sundance Channel titled Spectacle: Elvis Costello With… So far, the ellipsis is filled in with a range of exciting guests including indie-shmindies She & Him, Jenny Lewis and Rufus Wainwright, oldie but goodies Smokey Robinson, The Police, and Elton John (who happens to be the show’s executive producer), forefathers of cool Lou Reed and Herbie Hancock, mom’s favorites such as Tony Bennett and James Taylor, and Bill Clinton (sax, anyone?)!

The show’s format will open with Costello performing his own version of a song by the guest featured in that episode, followed by an interview with the guest and topped off by the guest’s performance. The program’s structure is set to be an experience of exploration in music and the artists that make it, using panel discussions, artist collaborations, and acoustic and impromptu “illustrative demonstrations of the creative process,” whatever that means.

The show’s concept sounds very exciting in theory. The thought of an Ed Sullivan-esque variety show based strictly on music with the slant of Costello-brand intellect and humor, as well as the delights of the sights and sounds of significant musicians is a promise of an hour’s worth of hearty content once a week. Potentially, the show may serve as an Inside the Actor’s Studio for music fans. Unfortunately, the semi-pretentious description of the show’s objective and the self-indulgence on Costello’s part by performing on every episode reeks of megalomania. Rumor has it that the episode featuring Jenny Lewis, She & Him, and Jakob Dylan has them performing Costello’s “Peace, Love and Understanding.” Will it be fun-filled or a futile flop? We find out on December 3, when the premier airs on Sundance. Here is the first season’s lineup:

Dec 03 | Elton John
Dec 10 | Lou Reed and Julian Schnabel
Dec 17 | Bill Clinton
Dec 24 | James Taylor
Dec 31 | Tony Bennett
Jan 07 | The Police
Jan 14 | Rufus Wainwright
Jan 21 | Kris Kristofferson, Rosanne Cash, Norah Jones, and John Mellencamp
Jan 28 | Renée Fleming
Feb 04 | Herbie Hancock
Feb 11 | She & Him, Jenny Lewis, and Jakob Dylan
Feb 18 | Diana Krall
Feb 25 | Smokey Robinson

by Abby Rubin