The NUVO Stage at the inaugural Summer Stages festival will feature some truly outstanding local, regional and national acts, beginning at 5:30 p.m., Friday, when Niswander will entertain with his craziness, and continuing through to 8:30 p.m., Sunday, when Lucinda Williams will perform.

In between, you have most of the local music scene glitterati as well as fantastic performers who hail from outside the Hoosier state.

Here's a selective guide of what to expect all weekend long at the NUVO Stage. For general information about Summer Stages, see the special insert in this issue of NUVO.

The Slurs Saturday, 2:30 p.m. The undefeated, undisputed local music kings of 2002 so far, The Slurs play an infectious, party-tinged garage punk sound guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and infuse you with enthusiasm towards life. Frontman Justin Allen is a whirlwind force of stagecraft not often seen in these parts, while guitarist/producer Jim Kuczkowski masterminds the sound in the studio and onstage. Although best experienced in their native environment - nobody"s ever really seen this band in the sunlight - they should play a spirited, tight set.

The Mudkids Friday, 6:30 p.m. It only seems right that Choc and Tyler would be among the first acts to play a stage celebrating local music. After all, that"s what the mighty "Kids are known for: playing every show and playing it well. Already one of the most accomplished MCs the state has ever seen, leader Russell (Choc) Johnson has lately been taking his rhymeplay and classic phrasing to a new level of positivity. In addition to a new "Kids album in the works, Russ is also busy preparing for a series of Birdmen of Alcatraz reunion shows, bringing together arguably the most beloved local act of the "90s.

The Gaza Strippers Saturday, 3:45 p.m. Somewhere between the glam rock ideas of the New York Dolls and the warped intensity of the Stooges is where the Gaza Strippers base their corruption. Hailing from Chicago, the Strippers are Darren Hooper, Mark Allen, Mike Hodgkiss and Rick Sims (formerly of the Supersuckers and the Didjits). Hyper-amplified with a deliciously nasty aftertaste, the Gaza Strippers are all about dirty, dirty trash rock. The live show is as strident and energetic as the music.

Extra Blue Kind Saturday, 1:30 p.m. EBK is a young band that has garnered a lot of success as a local band with the potential to fly right out of Indy. Primary songwriters David Handy and David Barajas have a shared talent for writing radio friendly pop rock melodies of quality conception. A reformulated mixture of the former Bloomington-based bands Phoenix Down and Danagas, EBK is also composed of Randee Eimer and "Squirt," in addition to Barajas and Handy. A couple of their singles, "Let Bygones Be" and "King of Everything," are even being spun on both X103 and WZPL.

Citizens Band Sunday, 3:45 p.m. Without a negative word for their efforts, Citizens Band can always be counted on for a supreme live show. They are an Americana rock band deep fried in the spirit of Johnny Cash, Uncle Tupelo and Ö AC/DC? Yup. Between Brian Deer, Matt Boyer, Adam Anzeveno and Brian McKenna, any number of songs, styles and influences can roll from the stage to the audience. Each CB set is an alt-country tinged rock "n" roll wildfire with Deer and Boyer at the helm.

Paging Raymond Sunday, 12:15 p.m. Regionally, these guys have been touring up a storm and are really starting to make their name known. Their music stretches beyond the Midwest, as they just returned from a touring trip of Colorado-based on-radio support in the West. They have a fused flavor of Americana and pop coupled with a live acoustic energy that is easily jumped into.

Transmatic Saturday, 8 p.m. Indy's own post-grunge radio rockers. Transmatic channels a similar appeal to that of Fuel, Goo Goo Dolls and Our Lady Peace. This local band turned Immortal Recording artists are a pop rock infection of tracks with contagious hooks. Transmatic is made up of Zack Baldauf on guitar and backing vocals, Andy Carrell on bass and Kirk Fredrickson on drums, with their sound lined in the raw expressive vocal talent of frontman Joey Fingers.

Seven Degrees from Center Saturday, 6:45 p.m. 7DFC is a local group that emotes on the hard rock side of the tracks. Over the last year, Drew Bowman, Scott Dubbs, Hamed Anwarzai and Tim Koberstein have gathered a strong following with the underage crowd as well as the club scene. The buzz has gathered from last year's Battle of the Bands second place finish and the victory of winning the FOX 59 Battle of the Bands. With a strong focus on playing as many shows as many places as possible, the band was recently accepted to play the Atlantis Music Conference in Atlanta. 7DFC isn't so much a "heavy" band as one with core sound in the introspective depth of rock.

Lit Saturday, 9:15 p.m. Closing the bill on Saturday is the Orange County, Calif.-based band Lit, a heavy music group known for bringing arena-sized theatrics to their club shows. Claiming influences varying from Iron Maiden to Elvis Costello, their heavy rock sound takes a detour through the glitz of Las Vegas, distinguishing them as showmen in a genre not generally known for its charisma.

Middletown Sunday, 1:15 p.m. This group's down-home-yet-sincere Americana sound has been creating quite a buzz due to the band's earnestness, tunefulness and just plain fun. Comprised of musicians who love to work together and whose unity shows quite clearly, Middletown has very humbly and without pretension become leaders in the local music scene. Highly recommended.

The Jazz Mandolin Project Sunday, 5 p.m. Jazz Mandolin Project is built of accomplished musicians such as Jamie Masefield, Danton Boller, Ari Hoenig, Greg Gonzalez, Chris Dahlgren and, joining the fluctuating roster, Jon Fishman of Phish fame. JMP is best known for their distinct ability to improvise and has a harder edge but a similar draw to that of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

Our Lady Peace Friday, 9 p.m. With an updated lineup and the touring velocity in support of their latest release, Gravity, Canada's Our Lady Peace has held strong as a modern rock staple. Their sound melodically blurs the definition of "alt-rock." Best known for 1999's Happiness Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch, yielding the singles "One Man Army" and "Is Anybody Home?" that drenched the airwaves to critical acclaim.

Jennie DeVoe Sunday, 2:30 p.m. No gathering of local musicians is complete without Ms. DeVoe, who's already considered one of the finest vocalists in the state. On the heels of a new live album comprised of her best material, DeVoe can win over any crowd with her passion, energy and hurricane of a voice. There's a reason she has so many fans, and it's That Voice, the voice which has launched a thousand love songs and jingles.

Lucinda Williams Sunday, 8:30 p.m. Named America's Best Songwriter by Time magazine, Lucinda Williams has spent over two decades creating inspired records. Each album seems to maintain a consistent ascending quality. She's even picked up a couple of Grammys along the way. Her voice is unmistakable and her ability to dissect the human condition through music is a cherished talent.

And on the other stages ... There are 55 acts playing Summer Stages and, of course, it's literally impossible to hear them all. And while three stages provide plenty of choice, deciding which of the three to visit at any given time can be a headache. Here are our choices for the most buzzworthy and possibly easily overlooked sets at the festival.

RockFour Sunday, 1:45 p.m. Budweiser Stage This foursome hails from Tel Aviv, Israel, which makes their seemingly effortless blend of psychedelica and modern rock all the more amazing. Compared to a young U2, Indianapolis has become a tiny fortress of solitude, given the group's played three shows to almost universal acclaim. Their album, New Beginning, shows why this group is much more special than the average band. They are modern-day prophets sent to us from a land of turbulence to provide rock and roll.

Guided By Voices Sunday, 4:45 p.m. Budweiser Stage Dayton, Ohio's finest have been around for nearly two decades, inspiring audiences. Inspired by the post-punk and jangly guitar sounds of the early 1980s, teacher Robert Pollard led the group through album after album of great music, nearly creating the term indie-pop in the process. Relentless tourers, they finally broke through to a mainstream audience in the mid-1990s. Since then, they"ve become royalty amongst alternative audiences. One of the bigger crowds of the festival should be on hand to see them.

Wonderdrug Sunday, 1 p.m. IUPUI Stage It is difficult to overstate the importance Wonderdrug has had on the Indianapolis music scene, both as performers and producers. They've helped shape many local acts, all the while maintaining and enhancing their collective reputation as creators of some of the finest pop music in the nation. They describe their sound as "an explosion of psychedelic freak-outs, emo-pop hooks and kick-out-the-jams rock swagger," but that doesn't even describe just how energetic and intriguing this band can be.

Superdrag Sunday, 2:45 p.m. IUPUI Stage Post-grunge rock has rarely been done as well as this Knoxville, Tenn., group does it.

The Roots Sunday, 7:45 p.m. Budweiser Stage Although not exactly the saviors of hip-hop they were once billed as being, Philadelphia's The Roots probably have more critical and street credibility than just about any other live hip-hop band. Their albums are memorized by kids from coast to coast, from hood to suburb. Things Fall Apart was their masterpiece, an album created after years of touring and making the band tight. They"re more than rappers, or musicians, or turntable specialists; they're a live band whose show is famous worldwide.