This weekend on a shoestring

This weekend’s top 10 includes Asheville’s Broomstars (pictured) playing at MoDaddy’s with Ween drummer Claude Coleman Jr. and his band Amandla. That’s Saturday, but Thursday and Friday bring more music, art and author events (including a muralist just published by Punk Planet). Everything’s $5 or under. Know of more budget-friendly events? Add ‘em below.

Thursday, June 17
• Muralist Christopher Cardinale, “whose graphic essays have appeared in the seminal magazines WW3 Illustrated and Punk Planet,” stops by Firestorm Cafe (48 Commerce St., Asheville, 255-8115), in support of his new graphic novel, Mr. Mendoza’s Paintbrush, based on a short story by renowned Mexican poet and novelist Luis Alberto Urrea. 7 p.m.

• Seven Sisters Cinema  screens the documentary Beer Y’all (“In July 2008, seven friends piled into a seatless cargo van and embarked on cross country tour of 27 microbreweries throughout North Carolina from Murphy to Manteo. Beer Y’all follows their nine days of hanging out with brewers, playing rock shows, and drinking many, many beers as they celebrate friendship, music, and a Southern microbrewing explosion”) at White Horse Black Mountain (105C Montreat Rd., Black Mountain, 669-0816). The filmmakers will be present to discuss their work and answer questions at the end of the program. 7 p.m., $5 for adults, $3 for students with ID.

Friday, June 18
• Echo Gallery at Biltmore Park (8 Town Square Blvd., Asheville, 687-7761) hosts an opening for PAINT, a new show of abstract painting by Susan Finer, Barbara Fisher, Genie Maples and Cindy Walton (her work, “Evening Shade,” is shown here). Reception from 5-8 p.m.

• Though it seems like the warm weather music season has only just begun, we’re already to the second installment of Downtown After 5. Head to the 1-240 overpass on Lexington Ave. at 5 p.m.-ish for headliners Drivin n Cryin and local openers Velvet Truckstop (pictured).

• It’s a three-fer: The Mad Tea Party (pictured) joins Aaron Woody Wood and The Sufi Brothers at the LAB (39 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville, 252-0212). 10 p.m., $5.

• Summer Vacation Retro Dance Party! Just the name sounds fun, right? And who doesn’t want to be on summer vacation? From the Facebook page: “This is the first of the Pulp (103 Hilliard Ave., Asheville) summer dance party series! Dr. Filth (Whitney Shroyer — you know him from Soul Night at the Admiral on Saturdays) will be spinning only the most dance-party-worthy records from the 50s & 60s. Retro soul, Rock n’ Roll, and R&B is the theme!” Tickets $4 in advance at Hip Replacements and Harvest Records. 9 p.m.

Saturday, June 19
• Sure, Phuncle Sam plays Dead covers, but they also write originals. Hopefully they’ll do a little of both at Pritchard Park (College St. and Patton Ave. junction, Asheville). The free show is part of the Pritchard Park Culture Arts Program; the music (4-6 p.m.) follows the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. umbrella market.

• Author Elizabeth Eslami reads and signs copies of her latest novel, Bone Worship. The book is about “a young Iranian-American woman, Jasmine Fahroodhi. Humorous events unfold when Jasmine’s father decides to arrange her marriage.” Malaprop’s (55 Haywood St., Asheville, 254-6734), 7 p.m., free.

• Indie rockers Broomstars (pictured) return to Mo Daddy’s (77 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, 258-1550), along with Amandla featuring Claude Coleman Jr., who is (writes the Broomstars), “a veteran drummer, singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, engineer / producer, teacher, writer, web designer and carpenter, who is familiarly known as the perversely versatile drummer for the group Ween.” 10 p.m., $5

• The Captain Midnight Band calls its sound “waterbed rock n’ roll.” The Cap’n himself has a penchant for coolie hats and animal prints — which means … well, who knows what that means, but expect a heck of a show at Westville Pub (777 Haywood Rd., West Asheville, 225-9782). 10 p.m., $5.