It was all too perfect that singer/songwriter Sarah White [ tickets ] was crooning and be-bopping about big dreams in the big city at CMJ's first media meet-and-greet event Tuesday night (10/21).

Big dreams are a major part of the CMJ experience. It's where bands, journalists and filmmakers converge in a collective effort to define and determine the next best things. The overheard conversations walking along the sidewalks jam-packed with badge-holders around NYU is proof enough. Hundreds of bands and artists clutter the streets and chat amongst themselves about the best strategies for getting noticed and making it here. "This doesn't mean s--- if you don't have a good record," said one random skinny-jean clad hipster to his bandmate outside the CMJ gift bag pick-up area. Similar conversations could be heard throughout the Lower East Side and East Village, where much of the showcases take place.

While many attendees decided to attend the official opening night party starring Louis XIV [ tickets ], Young Lords [ tickets ], Click Click Boom [ tickets ] and others, it seemed to be more in the spirit of the CMJ experience to check out some more underground artists.

The Dovecote showcase at Rehab proved to be the ideal spot to get a healthy dose of forlorn, acoustic, indie rock. Hipsters young and old crowded into the club's basement for reflective performances. Matt Duke [ tickets ] played his acoustic and passionately wailed tunes that mirrored the styles of Jason Mraz or John Mayer. His bongo player kept things moving at a more upbeat, bop-your-head pace. The violin and acoustic sounds that Trevor Giuliani [ tickets ] offered up next were more in line with Damien Rice. His music is something fit for a moon-gazing Volkswagen commercial or a "Garden State" kind of soundtrack. The young songwriter's performance was so intriguing that one audience member shouted, "Can you play it again?" after one of his songs. Giuliani blithely replied: "What's the matter with you people?" It was about as spirited and lighthearted as this place was going to get.

Having had enough of the contemplative unplugged scene, it was time to discover what the Kiwis were bragging about at the New Zealand showcase held at The Delancey. Playing a chameleon mix of indie synth-pop and world-minded music, The Ruby Suns [ tickets ] were so impressive that having a clear view of the band hardly seemed to matter to the elbow-to-elbow 20-somethings who were all ears throughout the set. The group played full, rousing melodies that spanned from tribal and Caribbean sounds to dramatic Arcade Fire-like fullness. The downstairs area of the club looked filled to capacity, and not having showered within the last month appeared to be a requirement to get inside.

Venturing further downtown to Santos Party House, LA synth-poppers Shiny Toy Guns [ tickets ] entertained a massive crowd of DJ-scenesters and goth kids. Afterwards, in a more underdog arena, the duo Wallpaper [ tickets ], made a handful of partiers dance like mad in the venue's basement. The frontman boasted a ladies'-man attitude, sipping wine and donning all-white tight pants and button-down getup with shades. His more aesthetically toned-down partner played drums and manned the electronic backup sounds. Wallpaper got the crowd moving most when they played a cover of Bel Biv DeVoe's "Poison."

Having started the evening shoegazing and ending it arms-up and hand-waving, night one of CMJ was proof that, underground or mainstream, every scene felt like the place to be.

Read LiveDaily's coverage of CMJ Day Two

Read LiveDaily's coverage of CMJ Day Three

Read LiveDaily's coverage of CMJ Day Four

Read LiveDaily's coverage of CMJ Day Five