You get what you pay for.

The old adage rings loud and clear in a recession. Happily, the free Taste of Chicago music lineup boasts a generous helping of headliners serving up R&B, rock, blues and funk.

The mainstage roster includes Counting Crows, the Wallflowers, Barenaked Ladies, blues hero Buddy Guy and the ever-impeccable Booker T (backed by the DBT's this time). The 85th Army Band, expanded to 50-plus musicians for the occasion, headlines the traditional Independence Eve show of patriotic music. Fireworks follow over the lake.

We can't complain, but will, anyway. The side stages are heavy on tribute bands, and pre-recorded music is the scheduled entertainment in one case. Fingers crossed that the penny-pinching ensures a solid Jazz Fest in late summer.

The 29th Taste kicks off today in Grant Park, and offers more than 200 delicacies from local restaurants. Hours are 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. through July 5 (Taste closes at 6 p.m. on its final day).

Music lovers, here's the menu for the big concert events:

PETRILLO MUSIC SHELL

Today

5:30 p.m. -- Gap Band frontman Charlie Wilson (opening act, Cameo)

Saturday

5 p.m. -- Counting Crows (Augustana)

Sunday

5 p.m. -- The Wallflowers (Lovehammers)

Monday, June 29

6 p.m. -- Broadway in Chicago

Tuesday, June 30

5:30 p.m. -- Barenaked Ladies

Wednesday, July 1

5:30 p.m. -- Ne-Yo (Keri Hilson)

Thursday, July 2

5:30 p.m. -- Super Diamond (Afrodisiacs)

Friday, July 3

7:30 p.m.: Fireworks Spectacular with the 85th Army Band

(You can start staking out prime spots at 10:45 a.m.)

Saturday, July 4

3 p.m. -- Buddy Guy, Guster, Booker T. and the DBT's

Sunday, July 5 (Kids Day)

2:30 p.m. -- Mitchel Musso ("Hannah Montana"), Radio Disney fave Jordan Pruitt

A friendly tip: Leave the beer at home, party people. Attendees are prohibited from bringing in coolers containing alcoholic beverages.

Heeeeere's Johnny on John Dillinger

Johnny Depp -- who filmed "Public Enemies" in the region -- claims he identifies with Indiana-born, bank-robbing alter ego John Dillinger and that the outlaw fascinated him when he was little. "I related to John Dillinger like he was a relative," Depp insists. "I felt he was of the same blood. He reminded me of my stepdad and very much of my grandfather. He seemed to be one of those guys with absolutely no bull whatsoever, who lived at a time when a man was a man. I think Dillinger had some idea of what he was doing. I believe he had found himself and was at peace with the fact that it wasn't going to be a very long ride ... but it was going to be a significant ride."

Grapevine

Spotted: Rapper Asher Roth at the Bull & Bear, the River North-meets-Wall Street sports bar. Other guests to date include Justin Timberlake (who brought his mom), the entire Blackhawks team (the guys like playing Xbox there), and Chicago Bear Lance Briggs and Bulls star Ben Gordon.

The opinions expressed are solely the writer's. Reach her at molly.woulfe@nwi.com or 219.852.4329