MONA FOMA 2019:
PROGRAM REVEALED
January. Launceston, Tasmania.
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HIGHLIGHTS
● MUSIC Neneh Cherry (SWE) + Underworld (UK) + Oneohtrix Point Never: Myriad (USA) + Mulatu Astatke and The Black Jesus Experience (ETH/AUS) + Julia Holter (USA) + Jonathan Bree (NZ) + Courtney Barnett (AUS) + Nakhane (ZAF) + Hańba! (POL) + Les Filles de Illighadad (NER) + Southeast Desert Metal (AUS) + WWWater (BEL) + Yirinda (AUS) + Satu Vänskä and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (FIN/AUS) + group A (JPN)
● ART Kenny Pittock (AUS) + Heath Franco (AUS) + Lou Conboy (AUS) + Lou Hubbard (AUS) + Margie Livingston (USA) +Parer Studio (AUS) + Pete Matilla (AUS) + Rosie Deacon (AUS)
● DANCE Dana Gingras + group A + Sonya Stefan (CAN/JAP) +, Stompin (AUS) + Tasdance (AUS)
● EVENTS Faux Mo + Morning Meditation + free programming at Albert Hall: Robin Fox installation and late night concerts (Fri – Kuniko Kato (JAP) + Sabu Orimo (JAP), Sat – Robin Fox (AUS) + Ensemble Offspring (AUS)) + more
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This January, Launceston will bear witness to its first-ever Mona Foma—with its signature brand of unexpected, unpredictable and curious programming descending on the state’s second-largest city.
Brian Ritchie said: “After ten years of blowing people’s minds in Hobart and three wins as Best Contemporary Music Festival in Australia, we’re taking the show on the road to Launceston. Similar to the actual A1, this road trip is fraught with potential danger but also a sense of adventure. Not only musical and artistic adventure but also cultural and social. Our partner, the Tasmanian State Government (aka citizens and taxpayers), has asked Mona Foma to help it break down the Berlin Wall/Mason-Dixon Line/Demilitarised Zone that runs through the state, using music and art as the battering ram.
“So, whether you’re from the south of Tasmania or a local Launcestonian, from any other TAS-locale, from the so-called Mainland, whether you’re international or intergalactic—we ask you to support this endeavour, not only for the kick-ass musical anarchy and artistic abandon that epitomises Mofo, but also to help us with this social engineering stunt. The utopian ideal we all desire for Tasmania hinges upon our success.”
Every year Mona Foma invites a new audience to experience the festival. This year it is the Amish of Lancaster County.
Brian said: “We’ve put up a bunch of billboards around Pennsylvania, inviting the local Amish to the festival—for free. We haven’t received any emails from them yet, but we’re hopeful some will take up our offer.”
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