Rock Star: Supernova Finale

Toronto is batting two for two.

Lukas Rossi follows last year's top dog, JD Fortune, as the newest Rock Star winner.

First, I have to give the big thumbs down to Global, whose botched editing job tonight left us to assume that the Iceman, Magni, was first to go of the four finalists (despite an AMAZING version of Deep Purple's "Hush" last night).

Next up was Toby who got the boot, and as Dave Navarro said, this guy already has a hit in his pocket so he's on his way.

Finally, to no one's surprise, it was down to Lukas and Dilana, who really had emerged as the front-runners from week number one.

Both singers have their strengths and weaknesses, but the choice of Lukas leaves me cold for several reasons. I'm afraid Supernova (or whatever they'll be called now) are going to be a poor man's Velvet Revolver without the guitar solos (and judging from that TERRIBLE track they played again tonight, I emphasize the word "poor"). In the end, I think the onstage (androgynous Bowie look with Jagger-esque mannerisms) and off stage (hard partyin') persona that Lukas brings to the table hit the boys' soft spots. In particular, I suspect that executive producer Tommy Lee was sucked in by nostalgia both for his own heroes and also by memories of his own cock walkin', substance abusin' heyday. Are those the right reasons to pick a singer? I don't think so. It's kinda like loading up on players from your favourite team in the hockey pool. I also don't see how Lukas' voice AND liver both are going to make it through an entire year of touring (if this project lasts beyond the first leg of dates like INXS' did).

Could Dilana have won this thing? I don't think so. It seemed like the fix was in from the start, and any shot she had at fronting this band was pretty much killed when she pulled her little shitfit about three weeks ago and cracked after the press day. She's not one we're going to forget, though, and if she plays her cards right, she'll do OK.

Personally, I wanted Storm to win, as I've mentioned before, but that brings me to the broader point about this entire thing. Rock Star: Supernova gave a lot of people the chance to shine and demonstrate that real artistry, not this Canadian/American Idol crap, is still alive in a HUGE way. Even if it takes the machine of Mark Burnett to remind us of the fact, there are authentic and undiscovered souls out there that love making music and want to bring it to us. In other words, get out of the frickin' Irish pubs, skip the multiplex for once, and take a break from the poker table. Instead, grab your local indie rag, see what's going on in your town and support new music. Even if you only do it once every four or six weeks - even if you have to pay for your friends' cover because he or she isn't really into it - get out there and reward the creativity, risk and expressiveness that can only come through an amplifier, loud and live.

It's yours for the taking.

And that's what rock n' roll is all about, baby.