Blip Festival

Wax nostalgic for your eight-bit NES and other classic gaming systems at a chip-music extravaganza. This year’s lineup favors the Game Boy as instrument of choice—Brazil’s Pulselooper, France’s Dr. Von Pnok, L.A.’s Wizwars, and event organizers Bit Shifter and Nullsleep all utilize the program Little Sound DJ to transform the handheld toys into full-blown digital orchestras. Techies can improve their own alternative spinning skills at an “LSDJ Masterclass Workshop,” where Danimal Cannon will give tips on how to maximize drums and streamline groove functions (Sat 26 1–3pm; $15). On Sun 27, Burnkit2600, a trio of circuit-bending composers and performers, will teach how to construct portable synthesizers at “Blips and Bleeps: Square Wave Oscillators 101” (Sun 27 1–3pm; $45 including materials). Vintage video-game visuals also inspire mixed-media work of CHiKA, who’s performed pieces at MoMA and the American Museum of Natural History. You can also check out Jean Y. Kim’s GIFs, made using a video-game console. The creativity extends to the bar, which boasts cleverly named specialty cocktails like the 8static, Supernova Kiss and the Blip Flu, so called for the aural hangover that chip-music can induce.