It’s been a busy, though not newsy, stretch , but the beat goes on! There will be plenty of beats in the area beginning tomorrow when Alice Cooper plays the DPAC. On Thursday night The Lincoln Theatre welcomes Everclear (that’s next Thursday). Seaboard Shops’ Friday get-together features Funuponya.

Saturday, however, is the big day. The biggest music event of the year for this state comes to Carter-Finley on Saturday when U2 and Muse take the stage. The concert is not a sell-out at this point, but will likely approach a sell-out at show time. Be prepared as parking will be $20 at the complex. Parking lots open at 3pm while the stadium gates open at 5pm. Alcohol will not be sold inside the stadium, and kegs are not permitted in the parking lot. “Persons of legal age may consume malt beverages and unfortified wine in Carter-Finley Stadium parking areas, whereas spirituous liquor and fortified wine are not allowed”.

The music weekend finishes on Sunday with Colin Hay (of Men At Work) playing the Carrboro Artscenter. Arts is also going to be abundant this weekend as Friday is the next First Friday Artswalk in downtown Raleigh. Also downtown, the Carolina Ballet will conclude its run of Swan Lake each night thru Sunday.

If houses are your thing, there is a lot to do! Saturday begins the three-weekend-long Wake County Parade of Homes. Be sure to look for the insert in the N&O in the next week which includes a map to all of the tour’s houses. If traditional houses aren’t your thing, maybe you’d like to go on the Modernist House tour on Saturday. This time the tour focuses on the Michael Coates residence in Durham.

At the Raleigh Convention Center the 3-day International Festival will be taking place. Tickets are $5 for adults (<13 free) and the food is fantastic. Is that enough for you? If not you can always stay at home and watch the Wizard of Oz on Netflix Watch Instantly (Saturday only).

Oh, did I forget sports? There’s a lot of that, too! On Friday night the Carolina Hurricanes will open the season against Chris Pronger and the Philadelphia Flyers. On Saturday in Chapel Hill the hapless Virginia Cavaliers will enter Kenan Stadium hungry, ready to feast on the wounded Heels. That game is at Noon, and there will be no alcohol sales inside the stadium, liquor isn’t permitted, blah, blah, blah. (We just hope to see more visiting fans washing their hands in the mens room than we saw at the last home game).

For more information, see the gogoraleigh calendar . It’s a busy week out there, so let’s go do it!