Now that the darkness has subsided from last year’s spectacularly brooding Dark Mofo, the time has come to bask in the light of summer as Tasmania comes alight once more.
Mona Foma has unveiled their most eclectic and ambitious lineup yet, featuring world premieres, art installations, world premieres and Australian exclusives.
Program highlights include a set from legendary act Godspeed You! Black Emperor, who will be providing the live score for The Holy Body Dance Tattoo’s Monumental in Launceston as well as playing a live set at Mona to perform tracks from their latest album, Luciferian Towers.
Moreover, lauded Australian artist Gotye will join forces with the Ondioline Orchestra to pay tribute to the late, great French electronic composer and pop visionary Jean-Jacques Perrey. Symphonic collaborations continue with Violent Femmes joining forces with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for a career spanning set, while Brian Jackson and the Southern Gospel Choir will reinterpret the songs of Gil-Scott Heron and Nina Simone.
Psychedelia and poetry come together with the exciting collaboration from Trans artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge joining forces with Edley Odowd; black metal behemoth Mayhem will bring a touch of darkness to the otherwise sun-filled event; Mofo’s late-night art party Faux Mo scores a new waterfront venue; while the free Launceston Block Party will have punters kicking on like nothing else.
But it doesn’t stop there. Chance the Rapper collaborator, Jamila Woods, will bring her joyful soul and funk grooves to Tassie; Barcelona-based producer Filastine and Indonesian neo-soul singer Nova launch “an audio strike against xenophobia proposing a borderless and polyphonic world”, Hobart + Music =Yeah: Re/cognition will present a showcase of underground music; Martin Blackwell will undergo a 24-hour marathon of rhythm and meditation; while Adam Simmons, Alessandra Garosi and David Jones rearrange the music of Frank Zappa in a piano, saxophone and drum trio.
Mona Foma 2018 lineup:
Brian Jackson with the Southern Gospel Choir (AUS/USA)
Emel Mathlouthi (TUN)
Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (UK/USA)
Godspeed You! Black Emperor (CAN)
Gotye Presents a Tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey (AUS/USA)
Launceston Block Party Mayhem (NOR)
Monumental – The Holy Body Tattoo (CAN) with live music by Godspeed You! Black Emperor (CAN)
Moor Mother featuring Rasheedah Phillips (USA)
Violent Femmes + the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (USA/AUS)
Adam Simmons
Ajak Kwai
Alessandra Garosi (ITA)
Andrew Bainbridge
Austin Buckett and Martin Ng
Black Quantum Futurism Collective (USA)
Black Rock Band
Blaise Garza and John Sparrow (USA)
Breadwoman Variations (USA)
Chakam Ensemble (IRN/AUS)
Cinemofo
David Jones
Edley ODowd
Eve Klein
Evil Goat
Faux Mo
Fémina (ARG)
Filastine and Nova (USA/IDN)
Gordon Gano (USA)
Hobart Liberation Orchestra featuring Petra Haden (AUS/USA)
Hobart + Music = Yeah: Re/cognition
Jamila Woods (USA)
Jim Denley and Rosalind Hall
Joseph Nolan and Brent Grapes
Kardajala Kirridarra
Martin Blackwell
Maxine Beneba Clarke
Michael Candy and Rosalind Hall
Michael Kieran Harvey, Arjun von Caemmerer and Brigita Ozolins
Military Position
MoMa
Rahim AlHaj and Karim Wasfi (IRQ)
Rod Thomson
SAAKA
Silver Space
Sisters Akousmatica
Sonya Lifschitz
Tannery: Tasmanian Taiko and Leather Orchestra
The Daemons of Dissent
The Ghosts of Nothing featuring Laura Purcell
The Museum of Everything
Thembi Soddell
TSO
Chorus extreme Unconscious Collective
