This weekend on a shoestring

Thursday, April 4

• From an Apothecary event page, “Paperhaus is the lovechild of four very different, but passionate songwriters who share only a belief in the spiritually transformative power of music. This attitude, perhaps more than anything, inspired the establishment of ‘The Paperhaus,’ their shared home studio and DIY concert space. Over the past two years, this humble row house in Petworth has hosted more than 100 bands from all over the country and is an institution in national DIY culture.” The band plays at Asheville’s newest DIY institution, Apothecary, with Savage Knights and Broken Lilacs. 39 S. Market St. 9 p.m. $3-$5.

Friday, April 5

• Browse a variety of local works in various mediums as artists of the Wedge Studios, Roberts Street in the River Arts District, exhibit a range of creations on the theme of “Black and White and Shades of Grey. Light refreshments served. Free. Info: joycehthornburg@gmail.com.

• From the the organization’s website, “The New York Studio for Stage and Screen proudly welcomes members of Asheville’s own rising star youth poetry slam troupe, WORDSLAM. A team of six high school student poets caused a huge splash when they debuted at the international youth poetry festival, Brave New Voices, in San Francisco last July. Poets Shanita Jackson, of Hendersonville Early College, and Liam Kelley Black, of SILSA, received the first perfect 10s for the 2012 festival with a group piece titled “Cause I’m a Soldier.” A second group piece, performed by Jackson and Dakota Odor, of Asheville High, also garnered perfect scores and caused such a stir that they were invited to showcase it on the final stage at the Fox Theatre in Oakland. Poets will face off in a three-round slam. The event will feature an open mic as well for poets who don’t want to slam.” 2002 Riverside Drive, Studio 42-O. 7pm. $10/$5 students.

• Rethink classic sci-fi as ZaPow! illustration gallery hosts a reception for Space and Time Trifecta, new works interpreting Dr. Who, Star Wars and Star Trek. The opening party will include free beer from French Broad Brewing Company and live music by Ben Holz. 21 Battery Park Ave., Suite 101. 7-9 p.m. Free.

• “In the Elizabethan age, it was considered unseemly for women to undertake the profession of an actor, therefore all women’s roles were played by males,” explains a post on The Montford Park Players’ website. “We don’t know about unseemly, but we thought we’d doff our hat to this gender-bending tradition of old, and put on our very own Shakespearean Drag and Burlesque Show. Come see some of Asheville’s best performance artists give their take on Shakespeare’s greatest works. All proceeds for this show go to improve the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre.” Hosted by Club Metropolis, 38 N. French Broad Ave., below Club Hairspray. 8-11 p.m. $5.

• “After eight full-length records, three EPs and 12 years of touring the globe non-stop, writer, performer and multi-instrumentalist Erin McKeown is just getting warmed up,” boasts the eclectic singer-songwriter’s bio. “Over the last decade, Erin has spent an average of 200 nights onstage each year. She has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Later with Jools Holland, NPR, BBC, and has had her music placed in numerous films, television shows and commercials. She has even written a song via text message with her friend Rachel Maddow. … Erin explains the driving force in her career, ‘I make music because I am made of music. I feel it and express it constantly. I speak through my songs because I feel a deep sense of responsibility as a citizen to participate in the world the best way I know how.’” Catch a sampling of McKeown’s diverse catalog, from electronic rock to jazzy folk ballads, at Jack of the Wood, 95 Patton Ave. Alex Krug opens. 9 p.m. $10.

Saturday, April 6

• The Western North Carolina Alliance will host its annual spring gathering, featuring hikes, a leadership workshop, BBQ and music with The Freight Hoppers, at the Community Table, 23 Central St., Sylva. $7/$5 members. See website for schedule.

• GEM, a local nonprofit that awards undergraduate scholarships to women over 23 (for programs at A-B Tech and UNCA), will host a jewelry, handbag and accessories sale to benefit local scholarships at the Beaverdam Fire Station, 450 Beaverdam Road. Prices vary. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Info: skgrabel@yahoo.com or 505-3826.

• From a Ten Thousand Villages event page for the Sahara Women’s Choir concert, “Ten Thousand Villages will donate 15 percent of all sales that day to Hope House, a local nonprofit organization providing a safe haven for girls under the age of 18 who have been rescued from the commercial sex industry in our region.  … Sahara Peace Choir will perform at 2pm; the concert is open to the public and is free. ‘Everyone in the World’ is the theme of the concert and is the name of one of their songs. Sahara Peace Choir was founded in 2008 by Annelinde Metzner with Roberta Newman to support peace talks among Muslims, Christians and Jews with the Friendship Force. We will feature products made by women who are leaving the sex trade as well as food samples from Women’s Bean Project, an organization in Denver, Colo., dedicated to helping women break the cycle of poverty and unemployment and develop work skills, self-confidence and responsibility.” 303 Lookout Road, Montreat.

• “Come enjoy Vocal Blast‘s first concert of the season and hear some stage favorites: J.R. Brown, S. Sondheim and more,” invites a page for the community show choir. “Doors open at 7:30pm; snack and drink bar available at Toy Boat. So come early for a drink or stay afterward to chat with the performers and Toy Boat Staff. This is a fundraiser for the JPW Schierhorn Scholarship, benefiting Asheville City School students.” Held at Toy Boat Community Arts Space, 101 Fairview Road. 8 p.m. Donations appreciated.