The first ever Mona Foma in its new home of Launceston – after ten years in Hobart – is a seven-day subversive summer sesh, featuring both musical icons and genre pushers from around the world.
This year’s festival is headlined by Swedish pop-R&B mainstay Neneh Cherry, and legendary UK electronic act Underworld (think about the intense dance tracks in Trainspotting: that’s Underworld).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnwcGf4HBr0/?hl=en&taken-by=underworld
They’re joined by local acts like Courtney Barnett, our ARIA darling, and the experimental hip hop of Yirinda.
The swirling ambience of Oneohtrix Point Never and the all-encompassing art-pop of Julia Holter head up the festival’s US contingent.
Rounding off the music line-up are transgressive acts from such far-flung places as South Africa, Ethiopia, Finland, Japan and Belgium, and a whole bunch more.
Every year Mona Foma also get a stack of impressive local artists on board, from Aussie AV artist Robin Fox to the colourful Rosie Deacon, all putting their work on display, plus a slew of local and international dance acts.
And of course, we have to mention the Friday and Saturday night afterparty, Faux Mo, but the less said about it the better. Just go and experience the strangeness yourself.
For reasons, Mona Foma invite new audiences to enjoy the festival for free every year – this year putting up billboards in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in an effort to convince the local Amish folk to ya know, give up their beliefs and hop on a plane to see some weird-arse art. Okay.
Mona Foma runs January 13 to 20.
You can cop a three-day festival ticket for $89 if you’re from Tassie, or $99 if you’re from anywhere else. Limited day passes are going for $45. Tix go on sale Monday October 15 HERE.
