Three words: Swedish. Folk. Trio. Now that we have your attention, check this out: Väsen are like the Dixie Chicks, only male-er. And Swedish-er. And not really country at all. (So much for a hook.) Anyhoo, the group have been traveling the world for some time now, spreading the Swedish folk tradition, and their talent is universally recognized: Violist Mikael Marin has played under legendary composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein; guitarist Roger Tallroth also plays the Swedish bouzouki and the octave mandolin; and Olov Johansson is a world- champion nyckelharpa player. (Granted, that instrument is of Swedish invention, so he had a handicap of sorts, but still, he’s a master.) Together, and augmented by percussionist André Ferrari, they bring the folk with Scandinavian flair. Utmärkt! (April 17, 8 PM, $20, $5 children, 37 S. Main St., Voorheesville, 765-2815)

Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Thursday

The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall stage has been the site of some inspired teamings in recent years, and this one is no exception. Ricky Skaggs, as you may well know, is a multiple-Grammy-winning mandolin champ, and a certifiable country-music legend. Bruce Hornsby, as you may not know, is way more than just the guy who sang “The Way It Is”; since selling millions with his ’80s hits, he’s explored jazz, jam, and now bluegrass. (How prescient that one of his big hits was called “Mandolin Rain.”) Skaggs’ longtime cohorts Kentucky Thunder will back the dynamic duo as they revisit songs from their 2006 collaborative album, and, we expect, much more. (April 17, 8 PM, $42-$48, 2nd and State streets, Troy, 273-0038)

Skillet, Thousand Foot Krutch

Northway Auditorium, Thursday

Skillet are a Christian hard-rock band. That is to say, their sound is much the same as you’d hear on local rock-radio stations like “The Edge”— the obligatory growly vocalist with a faux-hawk; heavy tom-tom beats; “explosive” guitar riffs—but these Christian-rock rebels are spreading the Word, so don’t hate. Thousand Foot Krutch are a Canadian Christian rap-rock band. That is to say, they hit the Billboard charts in 2005 with their song “Move,” but haven’t quite revisited that past glory because nobody, not even Linkin Park, still do rap-rock. All in all, this show will appear familiar to concertgoers looking for smoke and lights and leather; just expect “Thanks be to God” to be substituted for “**** you, mother ******s!” (April 17, 7 PM, $17, North Country Commons, Route 146, Clifton Park, 377-7373)

Hoots and Hellmouth

Valentine’s, Friday

Hoots and Hellmouth make music that can only come from the good ’ol South—or maybe Philadelphia. There’s plink-planking and organ swells and smooth three-part harmonious vocals all over their smirkworthy roots revival. Most of their tunes are gospel-driven and feature fierce spirit; one of their signature tunes, “Want on Nothing,” is bound to turn the Valentine’s audience into a hand-clapping hootenanny choir. At the heart of the band are members Sean Hoots and Andrew “Hellmouth” Gray; an array of other musicians help to incite outrageousness and goodwill. If a dress code were in order, it would most likely resemble the Huck Finn’s Warehouse sign on I-787; thankfully there is no dress code, because we’re sure local boy Gay Tastee, also on the bill, would ignore it outright. No Call No Show will open. (April 18, 9 PM, $7, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, 432-6572)

Britny Fox

Jack Rabbit Slims, Friday

What is this, some kind of exchange program? Also from Philadelphia, Britny Fox were part of the late-’80s hair-metal boom. They could be considered also-rans—their only single of note was the Cinderella-biting (fancy that!) “Girlschool”—but the market was so ripe at the time for their style of rock, they’ve spun that one hit into a 20-plus year career. Here’s the catch: Vocalist-guitarist “Dizzy” Dean Davidson, whose pained vocals were the band’s biggest hook, left the group in 1990. That leaves bassist Billy Childs as the only original member. So, we’ve no idea what the 2008 edition of Britny Fox actually sounds like, but no matter what, we expect it to be fully rocking. Supplementing the rock tomorrow (Friday): the Erotics and Untaymed. (April 18, 9 PM, $10, 895 Broadway, Albany, 434-4540)

Happy and Artie Traum

WAMC Performing Arts Studio, Friday

It sure pays to know people, and if you lived in Woodstock in the 1960s and ’70s, you could get to know a whole lot of people. Very popular people. Acoustic guitarists Happy and Artie Traum knew everyone back then, from the Band to Paul Butterfield to Bob Dylan (they shared a manager, even!), and shared stages with them all. The Traums, like so many other folk musicians, gravitated to Woodstock from New York’s Greenwich Village in the late ’60s; in 1970, they joined forces to record one of the seminal albums of the scene and era. And they’re still holding down the six-string sound today: Artie alone has released five albums this decade. Word has it they’re bringing in some “heavy hitters” for this week’s show; we’ll leave it to you to guess what that might mean. (April 18, 8 PM, $23, 339 Central Ave., Albany, 465-5233 ext. 4)