CHIP SHOT

As mainstream pop gets bigger—heard that new Lady Gaga–Clarence Clemons joint?—the DIY fringe shrinks in response: This weekend’s fifth-annual Blip Festival will present dozens of so-called chiptune acts (including Australia’s punky Ten Thousand Free Men & Their Families, who perform tonight) devoted to making music from outmoded computer and video-game parts. (Beck threatened to take the style mainstream a few years ago, but it didn’t take.) Three full nights of performances are scheduled starting on Thursday, and on Saturday there’s an afternoon workshop as well, at which you can learn how to program the Nintendo Entertainment System. Start digging through Mom’s attic now.

May 19-21, 2011