Even if you steer clear of black cats, manage to avoid walking under any ladders and are keeping a tight grip on that rabbit's foot, it'll do you no good: The three acts assembled for the Friday the 13th edition of 3x3 will cast their wicked spell on you anyway.

Chapter one of this tale starts with folkish indie popsters Annuals, whose members, though barely out of their teens, have been mainstays of the Raleigh, N.C., music scene for several years. We then take a midnight stroll to Maximo Park -- not a place but a band from Newcastle, England, who in true cryptic neo-New Wave style have named themselves after a park that honors a Cuban military hero. And what would this eeriest of calendar days be if we didn't give you a case of the Horrors? These black-garbed gothic garage punks from Southend, England, are three-chord masters of the macabre.

And to either introduce you to or refresh you of the concept behind 3x3, it goes like this: Along with a 3-song live performance by each act, there's a 3-question interview with each artist or band, 3 things you need to know about that performer and a list of what 3 other blogs are saying. And you need not be afraid -- the only screams you'll emit will be those of delight. Click here to have a look.