After only a few days at CMJ, it becomes clear that a seemingly permanent ink-stamp collage has formed on everyone's hands--and face, depending on how the night went. Tonight was a prime opportunity to see some well-known acts for badge-holders and ticket-bearing fans without having to mission from venue to venue.

Bowery Ballroom kicked off its showcase with Chi-town indie-rock quintet Company of Thieves [ tickets ]. Singer Genevieve Schatz has a refreshingly dynamic, captivating performance style. Shaking a tambourine and dancing freely around the stage, her vocals are a combination of Bjork and Regina Spektor. She kept a healthy crowd of after-work suits and black-leather clad onlookers enthralled for the band's entire set. Her extended notes were nearly jaw-dropping, and certainly goose-bump inducing. When Schatz announced that the song "Pressure" was for anybody who's had a bad day, she got a big cheer of support from the business guys attending.

Several blocks downtown at The Knitting Factory, the sold-out Photo Finish showcase was in full force and packed to the brim with scenesters in hoodies and skinny jeans. Austin, Texas hardcore act Recover [ tickets ] had attracted the majority of those there. Several 20-somethings said they made a special trip from New Jersey to see the band. Having gone on a hiatus and only reconnecting in 2007, Recover were playing in the Northeast for the first time in a few years and were a must-see for these diehard fans.

Next up, Colorado hip-hop/electronic duo 3OH!3 [ tickets ] spun the scene into a new direction with their bubbly, fun raps. 3OH!3 already made a name for themselves this year, particularly since having a slot on the 2008 Warped Tour. The high-spirited audience rallied and partied along to the gangsta-minded beats.

Envy on the Coast [ tickets ] was met with major affection from the crowd. Obviously no stranger to this scene, the Long Island-based hardcore band has been associated with other well-known groups like Thursday, Saosin and Underoath. Towards the end of the set, the group brought onstage a handful of people to join them for a song.

Closing the showcase, singer-songwriter Anthony Green [ tickets ] performed with his support band. Also the frontman for the rousing progressive-experimental Circa Survive, Green, although performing his own more acoustic-driven tunes, still carried the same enthusiasm and spastic movements that have become his signature style. By that point, quite a few fans--presumably the Recover crowd--were calling it a night, but even so, Green had definitely attracted a fair cluster of devotees.

Several streets up, Boston's Bury Your Dead [ tickets ] turned up the heat at The Fillmore. Fans of the hardcore scene were whipped into a climaxing frenzy. It all peaked about a third of the way into the set when highly energetic frontman Mike Terry asked fans to crowd surf to the stage to determine who could give him the most high fives. Chaos ensued and a few lucky fans managed to get some in, while the majority of others served as springboards for them. Less than a month ago, the band was involved in a van accident that left three members with broken bones and serious injuries. The group showed absolutely no signs of those injuries tonight, making this an even more impressive performance.
As the inked-hand collages grow and CMJ is more than halfway over, it's starting to feel like crunch time with so many bands still to see and hear.

Read LiveDaily's coverage of CMJ Day One

Read LiveDaily's coverage of CMJ Day Two

Read LiveDaily's coverage of CMJ Day Four

Read LiveDaily's coverage of CMJ Day Five