A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view: Ike Reilly, First Avenue. For his fifth annual Thanksgiving-eve show, Ike and his acoustic guitar anonymously pushed through the crowd up the stairs, surprising the packed house by singing his first few songs from the landing. Luckily, he was in a better mood than at the Turf Club in February. Garth Brooks, Kansas City. The pure showman came out of his decade of retirement to christen the Sprint Center, playing nine sold-out shows, all seats costing an amazingly affordable $27. He was in peak form, as if he had never been away. A forever memory, well worth the 450-mile drive. The Beatles, "Help!" DVD. This two-disc deluxe set comes with a reproduction of the original poster and script. Now I know what we'll be watching on Christmas morning. Yeah, yeah, yeah! PAUL KOLLER, MINNEAPOLIS
Pick six
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Bruce Springsteen and Win Butler of Arcade Fire, "The Conversation," Spin. In a joint interview in the December issue, two important rock stars, a generation apart, discuss leading a large band, dealing with stardom and some of the music that matters to them. Good reading. Mary J. Blige, "Just Fine." In an age of Rihannas and Beyoncés, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul flexes her radio-friendly muscles with this slick, '80s-tinged, synth-driven dance-pop single about self-esteem. Good fun. Various artists, "Give Us Your Poor." A benefit album to help fight homelessness, this folk/blues/spoken word compilation features Minnesota street people on two tracks, notable singers (once-homeless Jewel, Madeleine Peyroux) and noteworthy duets (Jon Bon Jovi and Mighty Sam McClain, Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger, Bonnie Raitt and Weepin' Willie Robinson). Good music, good cause. JON BREAM, STAR TRIBUNE
