This weekend on a shoestring

Thursday, Sept. 13

• “Just when you thought there was nothing new on the horizon except politics, AshevilleFM invites you to attend an evening of rip-roaring entertainment beginning with a screening of John Paizs’ celebrated independent comedy Crime Wave,” welcomes an event page for the station’s three-year anniversary party. “… Also on the agenda will be comedy by Minori Hinds, a variety show by Toy Boat and the Sugarfoot Serenaders … And if that’s not enough, from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, AshevilleFM and its neighbor — David Kula — are holding an open house at their studios over at 864 Haywood Road, with plenty of music, a great BBQ and giveaways too!” Thursday’s celebration takes place at Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company, 675 Merrimon Ave., with a raffle at 10 p.m. and screening at 10:30 p.m. $5 suggested donation. Sunday’s open house is free.

• “Dan Savage is a writer, TV personality and activist well known for his political and social commentary, as well as his honest approach to sex, love and relationships,” according to his bio. “Savage’s sex advice column, ‘Savage Love,’ is syndicated in newspapers and websites throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. He is the Editorial Director of The Stranger, Seattle’s weekly alternative newspaper, and his writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, GQ, Rolling Stone, The Onion, and on Salon.com.” Savage is also the founder of the It Gets Better project, which aims to inspire hope in LGBT youth facing harassment, and a regular contributor to NPR’s This American Life. He visits Asheville to deliver the keynote address at UNCA’s Well-A-Bration, “a week of activities showcasing UNCA’s health and wellness programs.” Held in the university’s Justice Center. $10/students free with ticket.

Friday, Sept. 14

•  RiverMUSIC, a new concert series presented by RiverLink and New Belgium Brewing at the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza, 117 Riverside Drive, presents a double bill with Asheville favorites Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band and The Fritz. New Belgium beer and cuisine from food trucks will be available. 5-10 p.m. Free.

• From the Malaprop’s website, “The Atlanta Journal Constitution has declared George Singleton the ‘unchallenged king of the comic Southern short story.’ Join us as Singleton reads from and signs his new collection of dog stories, Stray Decorum, from Dzanc Books, featuring such engaging characters as the dog Tapeworm Johnson.” 7 p.m. Free.

• “Lagniappe Brass Band hits hard with an up-tempo, high-energy twist on traditional New Orleans-style brass music,” according to a UNCA event page. “Six horn players build an undeniable, massive wall of sound that fills your ears and the air above you with funky brass music, while Afro-Cuban bass drums pulse underneath. …The Lagniappe Brass Band is coming to the Quad to give you the best in young New Orleans brass music. So get up and move to the beat at this special event.” The band performs an outdoor concert on the university’s quad as part of the weeklong Well-A-Bration. The UNCA Jazz Quintet opens. 8 p.m. Free.

Saturday, Sept. 15

• “The sixth annual Art in Autumn Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival takes place Saturday, Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Weaverville, N.C.,” begins a website for the event. “The festival features over 100 juried artists and craftspeople, as well as an exciting array of food and live music. In recent years, Weaverville has established itself as a culturally rich destination point. It has earned a reputation for its quaint small town atmosphere, artistic spirit and distinctive shops. The annual Art in Autumn festival brings a jovial celebration of community and fine art to the Main Street of this ‘Mayberry-esque’ town. All are welcome. Admission is free.”

• “Catawba RiverFest is an annual celebration sponsored by the CVHA and a variety of local governmental and non-govermental organizations,” explains a website for the event. “The focus of the festival is to provide everyone with an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the Catawba River, as well as providing an opportunity for local organizations to highlight issues impacting the river. The festival features music from local artists, food, booths from local organizations and a water derby.” The event will also feature free canoe and kayak rentals, eco tours of the lake, races, the release of a rehabilitated raptor back into the wild and more. Held at Lake James State Park, N.C. Highway 126. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. 

• From a feature in this week’s Xpress, “For the shy and socially hesitant among us, music offers a unique escape, a sort of force-field against outside attention. Molly Nilsson, a Swedish songwriter living in Germany, reminisced about her earliest musical memories for an interviewer at Thumped.com. ‘I was addicted to my Walkman,’ Nilsson said. ‘But looking back, I think I was only obsessing about music because people would not talk to you if you had headphones on.’ The quiet, confessional music she self-records and self-releases seems designed for this very kind of antisocial listening experience. … So far Nilsson has filled four albums of late-night anthems, singing over simple arrangements of old electronic keyboards and drum machines. Her fourth and most recent album, this year’s History, sounds bigger than the comparatively sparse arrangements of her earliest recordings, giving the record a bit of ‘80s-via-M83 nostalgia without shedding any of the stream-of-consciousness candor that makes Nilsson such a compelling songwriter. She has a gift for internal monologues sung as plainspoken confessions. Her voice suggests Nico’s evocative deadpan, a certain distance that feels more vulnerable than defiant.” Nilsson performs at Apothecary, 39 S. Market St., with Alligator Indian, Sin Kitty and Thai Food. 9 p.m.
Story by Bryan C. Reed

• From a Smart Bet in this week’s print edition, “Possibly the best band bio ever: ‘Clearly, the Turbo Fruits are not athletes. They are, however, a rock ‘n’ roll band, and one that could likely take your state rock ‘n’ roll champion to the mat in less time than it takes to cue up a record.’ They have that perfectly slouchy, shiny, unkempt look, and their sound (take single ‘Sweet Thang’) is equally slouchy and punchy, garagey and underscored with bravado. Turbo Fruits’ latest, Butter, was recorded in a mere eight days by Spoon’s Jim Eno, and the band is circling the Eastern U.S. in support of that album. They stop by Broadway’s on Saturday, Sept. 15.” The Critters and Doomster open. 10 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 16

• From Facebook event page for Paint the Bywater Pink, “A rollicking good time while we raise much-needed funds for breast cancer. Food, auctions and a cornhole tournament (you can win your own!) Music provided by Nikki Talley and the Caribbean Cowboys. Your $5 membership fee and donations go to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Asheville and the American Cancer Society.  796 Riverside Drive. 2-6:30 p.m. $5 Bywater membership required for entry.