Last night, hundreds of punks, geeks, and theater kids doused in fake blood piled on line at 42nd St. for World/Inferno Friendship Society's annual Hallowmas show, which navigated the Hudson River on a yacht this year. To Inferno fans, this event is huge.

The Rapture took the Bowery Ballroom stage last night wearing matching full-body skeleton costumes and masks. Three UV lights behind them made the bones glow as the band stood in a straight line across the middle of the stage. They waited. The crowd roared. When "Monster Mash" started playing, the four band members clapped to the beat, and then began a choreographed dance.

Two Loons for Tea could only be described as dreamy when they took the stage at Crash Mansion during CMJ's opening singer/songwriter showcase. Sarah Scott's vocals snapped from soaring to breathy in one verse, and with perfectly controlled flutters a la Billie Holiday, her band was both lush and bittersweet.

More than 10,000 music fans, artists, and industry professionals are expected to converge in New York City this week for CMJ Music Marathon, the behemoth of a pop culture extravaganza featuring bands, movies, panels, and more. From Oct. 31 to Nov.

At CMJ '06, SPIN.com is on the ground with twelve college students -- four writers, four photographers, and four radio personalities -- to cover the festival for SPIN.com, live.