Rare Frequencies: Sound and Vision

The DEAD VIDEO/LIVE VIDEO FESTIVAL is more than moving pictures — there’s also a significant music and sound-art component. This Saturday, an eclectic group of local artists will perform at MassArt’s Pozen Center. There’ll be live electronic dance music (no samplers, sequencers, or the like) from PSYLAB, some interactive beats and animations from Beat Research’s venerable DJ FLACK, abrasive sound and video work from QFWFQ, and much more. A marathon event running from midafternoon to midnight, with plenty of video to stoke your synapses, it’s organized by local multimedia artist (and part-time provocateur) ZEBBLER.

In the mid ’90s, Maryland’s JONNY COHEN (and his Love Machine) released a couple of endearingly oddball indie-pop albums with songs like “Cheesemaker from Hell” and “Space Butterfly.” After years of relative quiet, Cohen has resurfaced. This Monday, he’ll perform at Weirdo Records as part of the store’s new weekly live series (a/k/a “The Series”). As for what he’s doing 10 years on, Weirdo’s Angela Sawyer says, “I expect undiminished awkwardness, and hope I won’t be disappointed.” To judge by the recent clip (above) of a performance by Mr. Cohen, she won’t be.

PSYLAB + DJ FLACK + QFWFQ + MAN MADE SQUARE + RACHEL BISHOP + WALTER WRIGHT & THE APOCALYPSE DUO | Pozen Center, Massachusetts College of Art, 621 Huntington Avenue, Boston | May 2: 3 pm–midnight | $5 public; free MassArt students | www.deadlive.tv | JONNY COHEN | Weirdo Records, 844 Mass Ave, Cambridge | May 4 at 8 pm | $5 suggested donation | 857.413.0154 or www.weirdorecords.com