Pick six

Last update: March 21, 2009 - 2:21 PM

A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view: Solid Gold, First Avenue. Solid Gold has received airplay on U.K. national radio and praise in the Guardian. At this rate, the group may blow up bigger than Tapes 'N Tapes by the end of 2009. Solid Gold will be the next Twin Cities band to appear on "Late Show With David Letterman." Mayda, Mad Ripple Hootenanny. Her intimate acoustic performance included the suggestively racy song "Good Girls." Hoot-goers will remember it long after they stop blushing. Maria Isa, www.KVSC.org's "Monday Night Live." Her interview and live performance were so spot-on and energetic that I felt live-show adrenaline while listening to the Internet broadcast. Upping the ante, Isa did a live play-by-play via Twitter and interacted with listeners.

DAVID DE YOUNG, WWW.HOWWASTHESHOW.COM, MPLS.