Taste the music

It's a big week over here in CiN Weekly land.

We're all pumped up about the Taste of Cincinnati this weekend and all the great music you'll hear on the CiN Stage. The lineup is a diverse who's who of the local music scene, kicked up a notch with national acts Shawn Mullins, Saving Jane and Cincinnati's own Heartless Bastards.

To help you prep for the weekend, we've got free downloads from the bands online. Yes, FREE music. Download them all and you can make your very own CiN Stage playlist. Plus, you'll find a special Taste of Cincinnati edition of Kari's Music Minute (sponsored by Bud Light, of course) that features a clip of Saving Jane's video for "Girl Next Door."

The CiN Stage made its debut at last year's Taste, and we learned a lot from that experience, such as:

• Never underestimate how many people will turn out to hear local bands, especially ones who have made it big. Last year's appearance by Blessid Union of Souls was so crowded I thought they would need a helicopter to lift the boys out.

• Bands can go through a lot of beer and Zazou pizza, especially when they have groupies and entourages in tow. This year, we're making sure the backstage area is a little more secure. (Sorry, groupies, you'll have to pay for your beer like everyone else.)

• Some performers seem to enjoy testing the stage manager's patience by showing up at the last minute. But that's rock 'n' roll. (No, Marvin, you weren't the only we had to track down, but it was nice speaking with your mother.)

See you at the Taste!