Entertainment picks: The business of being a NZ Idol

Television

After winning tonight's final of NZ Idol the winner can expect a lightning-quick celebration party. Nik or Rosita, whoever the winner is, will be needing a good night's sleep because the first radio interview is at 6.30 tomorrow morning. From there on they will talk to other media, including print, radio and TV journalists, until 9pm.

Then they will rest that voice box and gargle lightly salted water, because on Wednesday they are in the recording studio to lay down vocals for their debut album. That album is in stores on October 29 - less than two weeks after winning the competition.

Now here's the thing. Last year's winner Ben Lummis recorded his album in 15 days and the quality suffered. Lummis' manager, and Idol judge, Paul Ellis, described the album as "crap". It was, he said, "the worst sounding album" he had been involved with in his entire career in the music business.

It didn't really matter from a commercial point of view though, it sold around 45,000 copies so hopefully Lummis is doing okay.

But shouldn't Idol organisers have learned their lesson? Perhaps the winner needs more time?

But really, I have no sympathy for this year's Idol. Bands such as the White Stripes have recorded albums in shorter time - their latest album, Get Behind Me Satan, took two weeks. And local band the Sorecocks took just 30 hours to make their debut album and it's a stormer.

So Nik or Rosita, go hard, live your dream, and make a great album.

Elsewhere in TV land this week, good on C4 for getting in there and screening highlights from New Zealand Fashion Week - every day - starting on Tuesday at 7.30pm.

Finally, we normal people can actually give a hoot about Fashion Week because we can check out some of the models, I mean, shows.

And for an explosion of egos, check out Out of the Question (Prime, Wednesday, 9.30pm), with Mikey Havoc hosting a current affairs quiz show with teams captained by Paul Holmes and Mike Hosking.

Social circuit

Darling, oh darling, it's New Zealand Fashion Week. It's a week I look forward to, but it's a subject I know nothing about.

For example, the get-up I'm wearing as I write this includes 7-year-old steel-cap boots (re-soled twice), jeans from a sale at Fabric (half price, choice), and a $25 collared, long sleeve shirt. So I'm not really into clothes, and quite simply, hate and can't shop. But hey, who doesn't like looking at beautiful people walking down a catwalk?

A few of the highlights will include Nom*D's show on Wednesday night, on Thursday is the Ralph Lauren Banquet, and Kate Sylvester's show in Shed Two, and on Friday in The Tent it's Hailwood.

Movies

Lads beware, this week chick-flick heaven hits the big screen in the form of Mr Darcy in Pride & Prejudice. To us guys, Darcy is a pompous wee sulk of a man, but to the ladies he is a stud (played this time round by Matthew MacFadyen with Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet).

Let's balance Pride & Prejudice out with one for the lads. Last Days is the latest film by director Gus Van Sant and is loosely based on the final hours of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. Michael Pitt (last seen in The Dreamers) plays Blake, an introspective artist who is finding the pressures of fame and his professional obligations are getting too much.

Combing random moments from Blake's last hours, with outbreaks of rock'n'roll, and a look into his cracked consciousness, this film is an intriguing take on the death we know so well.

Also starting on Thursday is In Her Shoes (starring Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette) about two sisters who fall out and then, what do you know, love each other. Or for something more juicy there's Night Watch, a Russian movie about vampire wars in 21st-century Moscow.

Music

Once again, it's a busy week. Starting on Wednesday night, Canadian-born singer/songwriter Lorina Harding plays at Atomic Cafe on Ponsonby Rd, and also at the Odeon Lounge on Mt Eden Rd on Thursday at 8pm. Harding now lives in Geraldine, the hometown of one of our favourite sons, Jordan Luck.

Also on Wednesday there is the charity gig Music for Africa featuring Chris Knox, smokefreerockquest winners Electric Confectionaires, Sarah Brown, Jeff Cox, Graham Sanders, Tinpot Guru, DJ Liquid Luke, and guest speaker Ahmed Zaoui.

Thursday sees the return of the Cake Kitchen, fronted by iconic local musician Graeme Jefferies. The band's sometimes jangly and sometimes drony-noise pop was a mainstay for all those still into guitar music in the early 90s.

On Friday the Sneaks play with Detroit crazies the Electric 6 at Auckland University, the tender, melancholic music of Crooked Fingers (aka Eric Bachmann) at the Kings Arms, the feelers at the St James, and dance guru John Digweed at Ellerslie Racecourse.

Saturday, the only place to be is a gig for Auckland black metallers Dawn of Azazel to celebrate the launch of their new album, Sedition. Then, on Sunday, there's two extremes: chose from busty hard house DJ, Lisa Lashes at the Studio or LA freaks the Eels (with strings) at the Transmission Room on Mayoral Drive. Sorry Lisa, but I'm recommending the Eels.