The Cable Show’s “Battle of the Bands” Will Raise Funds for New Orleans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nine bands comprising executives of cable operators, programming networks, cable industry suppliers, and media organizations will headline the “Battle of the Bands” fundraising event at The Cable Show ’08 to benefit New Orleans schools, libraries, and other organizations in the post-Katrina rebuilding effort, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) said today. 

The charity concert will take place on Tuesday, May 20 at 8:00 p.m. Central Time as the closing event for NCTA’s 57th Annual Convention and International Exposition on May 18-20, 2008 in New Orleans.

The “Battle of the Bands” competition will feature: 

• Full Mesh (Juniper Networks)
• More Cowbell (Time Warner Cable)
• One Night in NOLA (Fox Networks Group/TVN)
• The 5th Revision (Scripps Networks)
• The Frontline (Charter Communications)
• The Paul Allen Band (Vulcan Studios)
• The Solutions (ARRIS)
• TV Rejects (C-Span/CableFAX)
• Xpanded Bandwidth (Cox Communications)

Each band will play a three-song set ranging in genre from classic rock to R&B, all competing for bragging rights while giving back to a city with deep musical roots. 

“The response to ‘Battle of the Bands’ already has exceeded our expectations,” said Barbara York, Senior Vice President of Industry Affairs, NCTA.  “From the talented artists themselves, to the incredible generosity of our program sponsors and supporters, everything is falling neatly into place to make this special evening a top-notch entertainment experience and a powerful funding mechanism for the recovery efforts in New Orleans.”

“Battle of the Bands” will raise funds through corporate sponsorships and ticket and merchandise sales, with donations collected pre-show and throughout the concert event.  Motorola and Cisco Systems have kicked off the corporate giving by agreeing to become “platinum stage” sponsors, which includes naming rights for the two main stages.  Additional sponsorship opportunities include, among others, gold, silver and bronze sponsorship.  Further sponsorship information is available at www.thecableshow.com/battleofthebands, or by calling NCTA’s Industry Affairs Department at 202-222-2430.

Silent Auction, Emcee, Streaming & Ticketing

A silent auction, produced in partnership with design and advertising agency e2amp, will feature a collection of 10 autographed guitars from top musicians, including Eric Clapton and B.B. King, as well as a four-hour personal guitar lesson with Grammy-winning musician Jeff “Skunk” Baxter.  Baxter, who also will serve as one of three celebrity judges for the event, has played on 150 albums with such popular acts as Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr and more, and has 17 gold records and eight platinum records to his credit.  Emceeing the event will be comedian Bill Bellamy, host of TV One's hit comedy competition series, "Bill Bellamy's Who's Got Jokes?”  Over the last decade Bellamy has been a staple in the world of comedy, performing hundreds of shows to sold-out audiences across the country.  Two additional celebrity judges and other additions to the silent auction will be announced closer to the event.

The event will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, and will be streamed “live” via webcast courtesy of Octoshape to allow those unable to attend an opportunity to see the show and contribute online to the fundraising efforts. 

For Cable Show attendees, a ticket to the event will be included as part of the full convention registration package.  Others may purchase individual tickets for $50.

CableCares Initiative

“Battle of the Bands” is part of the cable industry’s CableCares initiative, an umbrella charity program that will assist New Orleans in post-Katrina rebuilding efforts.  Among other activities, Cable Show attendees will rebuild school libraries and playgrounds and restore schools with new technology.  Companies and individuals can get involved by contacting NCTA by email at cablecares@ncta.com or by phone at 202-222-2430.  Donations also are being accepted and can be made payable to The Cable Hope Fund.

For the latest details on the concert schedule, artists, auctions, and celebrity appearances – as well as opportunities to help in the fundraising – please visit www.thecableshow.com/battleofthebands or contact The Cable Show at 202-222-2430. 

Additional, up-to-the-minute information for The Cable Show ’08 is available at www.thecableshow.com.  For information about exhibit space at The Cable Show ’08, contact NCTA Convention Headquarters at 202-463-7905 or e-mail exhibitinfo@ncta.com.

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