editor's note

In case you haven't heard, and in case you didn't have enough reasons to hate the city of Chapel Hill (reason #254: It's arguably harder to park legally near Franklin Street than it is to park legally near West Campus), the fun-hating losers who govern the village down the road have decided to quash the nationally ranked Franklin Street Halloween debauchery.

I say, don't let those punks ruin your weekend. On this week's centerspread we're highlighting some of the many options available in Durham. Franklin Street might be out of the question, but a party without Tar Heels is like a night without sunlight. Party hearty Friday night, but make sure you can recover in time to get to Chapel Hill (I know, I know) in time to hear a remarkable group of musicians spout politics and tunes. Pro-Obama or not, a chance to see the dB's, Superchunk, Portastatic and Billy Bragg is worthwhile, hungover or not.

Later that night, Bragg will play at Duke. Tickets seem to be going fast, but Bragg-an old socialist with a great Cockney accent-should be entertaining, if my conversation with him was any indication.

For your Sunday amusement, get some culture and check out the 50-some venues in the Durham Art Walk. There will be 200 featured artists and live music all over town. Who says there's nothing to do in Durham?

Finish the night off at Local 506 (the club, not the union hall-Billy Bragg is the socialist in this bunch) with Bishop Allen, who you might have heard in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist... unless you took recess' advice and stayed away from that. Arts Editor Jessie Tang spoke with the band's lead singer and should give you a reason not to stay away from the show.

If you've still not had enough, read up on art you can see at the Hayti Heritage Center near North Carolina Central University or at the Center for Documentary Studies, where two artists-well, one artist and one "experimental geographer"-explore the seedy world of surveillance.

Do all that, and you should be able to spite the Chapel Hill municipal government and avoid doing that econ problem set. You can thank us later.