There's nothing quite like folk music, the genre of time-honored instrumentation.

It charms with acoustic guitars, old word mandolins, tinkering pianos and thrashing Slinkies.

Yes, Slinky, as in the stretchy, springy toy of youth.

Virginia-based quartet No Stings Attached may not adhere to conventional folk constraints, but this self-proclaimed "psuedo-ethnic" band knows how to have a good time.

On stage, band members parody old rock 'n' roll acts, tango with their instruments and create some mean Slinky-centric rhythms.

No Strings Attached will bring its high-energy, jazz-inflected folk to the Acoustic Brew stage this Saturday, with Pittsburgh-based blues guitarist Ernie Hawkins opening.

No Strings Attached has been challenging the folk status quo for 23 years, which percussionist and vocalist Wes Chappell attributes to the group's patience for one another and its passion for producing and performing eclectic and entertaining music.

"We don't take ourselves too seriously," Chappell said. "We're like an old married couple. We stick together because we all like the freedom to bring in any kind of tune and give it a shot. We're not stuck on one thing."

The band's eclectic sound stems from the members' assorted backgrounds.

Randy Marchany has 25 years of classical piano training under his belt, harmonica player Pete Hastings used to play the blues and bassist Bob Thomas has played in just about every type of band there is, from punk to orchestral.

"We incorporated all that," Chappell said. "In one way or another, it's all in there somewhere."

Linda Littleton, main act booking agent and volunteer coordinator for Acoustic Brew, said Penn State students should not shy away from Saturday's show, stating that it will be anything but yawn-inducing.

"This is one show I think will particularly appeal to students," she said. "It has a little contemporary edge to it and jazz influences and the performers are wacky."

Ernie Hawkins, who will open for No Strings Attached, plays music as unique as the headliners: a complex, syncopated style called he describes as Piedmont Blues.

"The music I play is finger-picking in the old style," Hawkins said.

"It's gospel and blues and ragtime and country music and very similar to some kinds of African guitar playing. There are still a handful of people who play this music."

Hawkins first learned this East Coast school of ragtime from one if its most renowned practitioners, the Rev. Gary Davis.

"The day I got out of high school, I moved to New York City," Hawkins said. "The Rev. Gary Davis lived in Long Island. He was my guitar hero when I was a teenager, and he turned out to be a wonderful teacher and a genius. I learned a lot of things from him and I've been playing ever since."