One of the most talked about summer festivals is back for 2018 and it is gifting us with one hell of a line-up! Mona Foma come at us!
Are you ready for 11 days of music and arts? I know I am! Get ready for challenging art installations, unexpected world premieres and Australian exclusives set to take place in Tassie’s two largest cities – Launceston and Hobart.
“Mofo is a celebration of unique creativity and personal expression ranging freely across music, visual art, dance, spoken word, architecture, spas and more. The messages range from pure abstract form to blatant protest and a few stops in-between. Even the food, wine and beer are idiosyncratic,” Curator of Mona Foma Brian Ritchie said.
“We’re bringing artists from all over the world to Tasmania. Some are visiting for the first time. Others have moved here as immigrants or refugees. Some of our artists are world-famous exponents of their vision and others come from the margins of society. Even from cultures where they would not have been allowed to create until recently. Mofo will give everyone an equal platform and a chance to be heard.”
Incredibly, the State Government has announced funding for MOFO 2018, which is a huge boost for the festival.
“Thanks to the State Government’s funding announcement, we’ll be seeing a bifurcated version of Mofo in 2018 which means we’ll be holding some major events in Launceston, including a massive free block party, as well as major events at our 2018 festival base in Hobart. The Mofo and Mona teams are chomping at the bit to set off sparks with new partners in the North of the State,” Ritchie said.
The full program overview can be found over at the MOFO 2018 website along with all of the ticket info, but below are some key highlights.
• Free Launceston Block Party
• Art-rock legends Godspeed You! Black Emperor (CAN) to provide the live score for The Holy Body Dance Tattoo’s Monumental in Launceston. They’ll also perform live at Mona, playing tracks from their latest album ‘Luciferian Towers’.
• In an Australian premiere, Gotye and the Ondioline Orchestra to pay tribute to the late, great French electronic composer and pop visionary Jean-Jacques Perrey.
• Black metal gods Mayhem (NOR).
• Violent Femmes (USA) + Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra to perform the folk-punk rockers’ repertoire backed with a full orchestra.
• Brian Jackson (USA) and the Southern Gospel Choir present songs of Jackson and Gil-Scott Heron and Nina Simone.
• Trans artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (USA) and long-time collaborator and fellow Psychic TV member, Edley ODowd (UK), promise psychedelia and poetry.
• Punk-poet powerhouse Moor Mother (USA) teams up with collaborator Rasheedah Phillips (USA) to smash apart the protest song and remake it anew.
• Barcelona-based producer Filastine and Indonesian neo-soul singer Nova promise to launch an audio strike against xenophobia.
• Iraqi musician Karim Wasfi (known for playing his cello in the wreckage of a detonated car bomb) to share his music in a world premiere performance with collaborator Rahim AlHaj.
• Breadwoman (USA) will speak to the crowd in the language of bread.
• Mofo’s late night art party Faux Mo to move to Hobart’s waterfront venue MAC2.
Mini Mofo will be held in Launceston from January 12-14, Mona Foma Hobart will take over from January 15-22, and MOFO at Mona will take place in Hobart from January 19-21.
Take a really close look at the program on offer and plan your festival schedule well; you don’t want to miss anything but you’re going to have to make some tough decisions.
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author: Kara Bertoncini