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It's just over a month away. The time when the streets of Downtown and Over-the-Rhine (and one stage in Newport) will be brimming with local, regional, national and international musical artists. The 7th annual MidPoint Music Festival returns September 25-27 and this year promises true excitement for those wanting to get out and have fun in Cincinnati. Here are some questions I've been hearing... • We’ve heard about this for a while, but uhh... When the heck can I get tickets? Right now, oh anxious one. Wristbands allowing admission into all venues for all three days of music are available now for $29. Wristbands are highly recommended and will save more dough for spirits and libations. It's a steal, no? When planning your nights, think about arriving earlier to those “bigger” shows on your list. You'll probably know which ones (Robert Pollard, Mates of State). If it sells out, the club can’t legally cram in more people, wristbands or not. Pesky fire marshals. At least you'll have great entertainment for the entire night. Every band is headline-worthy. • Stages in Downtown AND Over the Rhine? I’m lazy and can’t walk far. I didn’t think my itinerary would include travel time. What the #%$#!? Ah, the challenged of foot. While we all could probably use the walk, there is a solution for jetting between venues. MidPoint is working with those folks who support adding streetcars to the downtown landscape. They, together with MidPoint sponsor Scion, are providing 20 xB crossover vehicles to shuttle music lovers to the different areas. A handy map of the proposed streetcar route will be in each vehicle. Cool, huh? You only need to park once. • Isn't Over-the-Rhine and Downtown kind of... dead? Uhmmm, where have you been lately? It's been rocking all summer. Find a full list of venues here. Venerable MidPoint spots like the Blue Wisp, Arnold’s, Courtyard Café and Know Theater are back. New in the mix are some surprising venues like the Aronoff Center, The Subway Bar, Buddakhan’s, The Lodge Bar, Inner Peace Holistic Center, New Stage Collective, Below Zero Lounge and Coffee Emporium. I always feel that great satisfaction of city life whenever I get to hit so many clubs in one night. Choices are cool. • Who is playing this year? I guess you haven't heard the news? Well, too many to mention here. Find a full list here. Some recent additions: Mates of State, The Sadies, local SubPop signee Daniel Martin Moore, Canada's God Made Me Funky, London’s Partyshank, Dane Clark (He's in Mellencamp's band. WNKU plays him a lot.), turntable masher Ruckus Roboticus and the lovely women of HotChaCha. And for all those Cartoon Network Teen Titan fans out there, the actor who does the voice of Beast Boy rolls into town with his own reggae-pop band, Cipes and the People. I kid you not. • You keep saying MidPoint has an international scope. You just mean you have a couple of bands from Canada, right? Every year they travel from far and wide. Last year we saw a big Danish contingent. This year MidPoint features artists from China, England, Mexico, Israel, and drum roll please...Canada! • Have you seen my cool jacket? I left it at MidPoint last year (I got too drunk, of course). It is red leather, with black and white racing stripes down the side and … Let me stop your right there. This isn't the lost and found. Besides, if we found a red leather jacket, we would totally keep it for ourselves. • My favorite local band wasn’t selected. Don't you want the best local bands? More MidPoint acts come from Cincinnati than any other locale. In the past you had to put in a submission to play the event. The new producers of MidPoint, CityBeat, have expanded things a bit by “inviting” more bands with higher exposure. Along with the national, signed acts, local artists who were nominated at last year’s Cincinnati Entertainment Awards in the “Critical Achievement” categories (Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, New Artist of the Year) were booked. These include are some great locals: Eat Sugar, 500 Miles to Memphis, Buffalo Killers, The Dan Karlsburg Group, Jon Justice, Joe Hedges and July for Kings, The Lions Rampant, The Read, The Seedy Seeds, The Chocolate Horse and Wussy. • Well, you screwed up — where are the Heartless Bastards?! Unable to attend. In the studio, I think. • I only know my co-worker's sister's boyfriend's band is in. How am I supposed to know who to go see? Check out the helpful guides published in CityBeat and CiNWeekly. They usually give you some good advice of what to check out. Profiles and such on every act. Also, if you go to the list of bands, click on the name of any band and it'll take you to a MySpace page with songs to hear. The main thing to do right now is get your wristband, call some friends, and plan to head downtown for some hip shakin' fun.