The artist showcase component of this year�s North By Northeast Festival And Conference takes place at various downtown clubs. Bands perform every hour on the hour, from 9 pm to 1 am Thursday through Saturday, with some exceptions. For participating artists, venues and set times, see full schedules (pages 50, 62 and 66 in this week's issue). NOW�s website, www.nowtoronto.com, has further coverage and daily reports during the fest, and www.nxne.com offers more complete details and updated information. Three-day fest wristbands are available for $24 at various locations, including the Edge studios (228 Yonge) and NOW Magazine (189 Church). Order wristbands online at www.nxne.com for pickup during the festival at the Horseshoe (370 Queen West), the Drake (1150 Queen West), Lee�s Palace (529 Bloor West) or the Holiday Inn (300 King West). Wristbands can also be purchased through Ticketmaster at 416-870-8000, or at the door of all participating venues from Thursday evening. One-day wristbands are available for $15. For those not buying wristbands, each venue has a nightly cover charge of $5 to $20.