The band Hoots and Hellmouth is on the heavy metal edge of the spectrum of folk music. To say that their shows are high energy is like saying tornados have pretty strong winds. You can’t describe what they do with their guitars and mandolin as strumming—whipping is more like it. And their vocals? Although they sing some serene love songs and scattered quiet comic tunes, their default is closer to Springsteen at his throat-shredding best. Oh, they have no drummer. Instead, they stomp their rhythms on specially miked wooden platforms. No, not tap dancing. I said stomping. It’s a no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners approach to music making. Last year at the Ark, their two-hour, no intermission show never flagged.
And it’s not all, or even mostly, just for show. H & H write powerful lyrics with eminently hummable melodies. “What good are plowshares if you use them like swords?” $17.50. 8pm. 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1818. www.theark.org
