This weekend on a shoestring

Thursday, March 8

• Baltimore-based guitarist Dustin Wong builds complex layered soundscapes with nothing more than effects pedals and his own imagination. “I see all these pedals as a kind of textile factory,” he explains in his bio. “The sheets and colors are determined then the patterns are laid on top, one layer after another until it becomes a fabric mille feuille. Once that cake looks done it gets replicated again through another delay pedal. I can keep building these sounds on top each other and decide whether I want to take half of the cake’s slices or not, if i do, I can gaze at the symmetrical void of what I have taken.” Watch the man in action when Wong plays Broadway’s, 113 Broadway St., with Dope Body and Roomrunner. 10 p.m. $5.

• “Hailing from Charlottesville, indie-rock sentries The Hill and Wood have been one of Virginia’s most critically adored new-fangled bands for over two years,” according to the band’s website. “Led by Boston native Sam Bush, the band has shifted from their folk-pop roots and integrated themselves into a multifaceted and stratified sound comparable at times to the chamber-pop melodies of Belle & Sebastian, at other times the symphonic, orchestral swells of Bishop Allen and Wilco. The music’s firm foundation is Bush’s songwriting, deftly communicating the anxieties of expectation and the malaise of the modern identity, all the while uncovering rare and unexpected moments of relief.” The band plays The Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., with Asheville’s own “indie-rock sentries” Doc Aquatic. 8:30 p.m. $8.

Friday, March 9

• Cellist/guitarist Melissa Hyman plays with a number of local outfits, including Ten Cent Poetry and For the Birds. This weekend, catch a more personal side of the artist as she performs solo at The Hop West, 721 Haywood Road. More about Hyman, from her website, “With a deep, jazz-inflected voice and soft-worn sound, she is often compared to Norah Jones. Her lyrics are both surprising and relatable, with broad appeal: Hyman’s 2009 recording debut Mama Loves You includes songs about lost love, traveling blues and cowardly dragons.” 6:30 p.m. Free.

• From the Malaprop’s website, “Linda Star Wolf is the founder and co-director of Venus Rising Association for Transformation and the founder and president of Venus Rising University for Shamanic Psychospiritual Studies. Star Wolf has been a visionary teacher and shamanic guide to thousands of people over the last 35 years. Star Wolf will share shamanic practices to access your spiritual blueprint, communicate with the universal mind and transform into your highest spiritual self. Join us for a discussion and signing.” 55 Haywood St. 7 p.m. Free.

• “Everyone, including the band members, have a hard time pinning their sound into a genre,” admits Grammer School‘s website. “Some have dubbed it “Appalachian psy-pop” and others “adult contemporary on acid.” Their sets have been called “genre smashing,” as if you’re actually flipping through radio stations. And while their passion is in rock ‘n’ roll, their sound takes on bouncy pop riffs, sudden tempo and chord changes, piano interludes, fuzzy synthesizers, catchy lyrics, building tensions, punk-fueled guitar, soulful melodies and unusual subject matter. Not to mention their sometimes raucous energy can make anybody dance. … Whether playing to a brightly lit crowd of 300 or a candle lit audience of 10, Grammer School will win you over with their unique, high energy show.” Help the band celebrate its debut, self-titled release at Warehouse #10, 399 Old Lyman St., River Arts District. Kovacs and the Polar Bear opens. 10 p.m. Donations appreciated. BYOB.

Saturday, March 10

• Join Hip Thrift, 201 Haywood Road, for an afternoon of mini-golf, hula hooping, face painting and more to benefit Asheville Community Yoga‘s expansion project. 10 percent of all sales will be donated to the organization. Noon-5 p.m.

• “Join us March 10 at the farm store for samples of our grassfed and pasture raised meats and a personal farm tour by Hickory Nut Gap Farm owner Jamie Ager,” invites the local farm’s website. “Try our new cured meat product line and sample Looking Glass Creamery‘s renown goat cheeses. Visit with Jamie and Amy Ager, owners of Hickory Nut Gap Farm, and let them know how to best serve your local meat needs. Expanded farm store hours will be announced for the upcoming seasons. Don’t miss grabbing coupons for our expanded agritourism activities, opening this summer!” 57 Sugar Hollow Road, Fairview. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tours depart at 1 p.m. Free.

• From an event page for the band’s upcoming CD release party at The Grey Eagle, “The Broadcast is a powerhouse, six-piece soul rock band formed in Brooklyn, NY in 2007. With sweeping melodies, polyrhythmic grooves and an uncanny ability to connect with listeners, their high energy shows leave audiences frenzied for more. The band draws influences from the funky soulful Motown sound of Stevie Wonder and the raw vocal prowess of singers such as Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin. The band is fronted by platinum blonde Caitlin Krisko, whose commanding voice has been described by Cosmopolitan magazine as ‘drenched in honey, and dripping with soul.” Check out the southern transplants and their brand new record when the band performs with Antique Firearms. 185 Clingman Ave. 9 p.m. $10.

• If you’re interested in On the Take‘s backstory, you’re in luck. The band’s bio is a detailed (and entertaining) history that dates all the way back to 1999. But, for our purposes, the last paragraph will suffice: “On the Take played their first show and it was sold out, just like all their subsequent shows have been and all of their future shows will be. Who knows what the coming years have in store for this fine group of talented young songcraftsmen? One thing is for sure: On the Take plays pop-tinged rock with hints of synth and can be compared to Guided by Voices, Brainiac and the Unicorns. Also, they like to say that their glass is ‘half full.’” Catch them at The LAB, 39 N. Lexington Ave., with Jennifer O’Connor and Tim Foljahn. Arrive early, word has it the show will sell out … 10 p.m. $5.

• Local showcases at The Orange Peel are few and far between. Punk showcases, even rarer. Don’t miss this chance to catch Asheville’s favorite punk outfits (as voted by Xpress readers) on the big stage when Just Die!, Zombie Queen and Pleasures of the Ultraviolent get loud and rowdy at The Peel. 101 Biltmore Ave. 9 p.m. $5.