Northern Tasmanians better get ready to Blister in the Sun at Launceston’s inaugural Block Party for Mona Foma (MoFo).
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Legendary punk rockers Violent Femmes will headline the party close to a decade after their last Launceston performance.
The free block party will be kicking off at the Queen Victoria Museum courtyard on January 14 with music, art and an eclectic variety of food, drinks and local producers.
MoFo curator, and Violent Femmes bassist, Brian Ritchie said already about 4000 people had registered for the party without knowing the line up.
The future of the MoFo was exciting, especially with the move north, Ritchie said.
“In the coming years, we’ll be doing activities year round, for example developmental ideas, planting seeds for the festival so it’s not something that just comes along in January and then disappears.”
The party line-up will also feature indigenous punk lyrical activists Dispossessed, who aim to destroy the status quo for their set.
Amy Sako and Bassekou will combine traditional African tribal rhythms with psychedelic rock and blues, while Launceston jazz artists the Evan Carydakis Quartet will present a John Coltrane tribute.
Ritchie said it wouldn’t just be traditional music entertaining the crowd.
The Sound Bubble, a high tech cube, will give violinist Anna McMichael a blow up stage to improvise a sound design from composer Damian Barbeler.
Up above, Jon Rose’s Interactive Sonic Ball – a gigantic interactive musical instrument – will be unleashed on the audience accompanied by laser beams, light, sound and colour from Robin Fox.
Mary Shannon, of Bansheeland, will showcase her solo project Disrepute, an experimentation with electronic beats, multi-layered vocals and recordings while Launceston activist Emma Anglesy will join musician Yyan Ng on stage.
Ritche hoped Northern Tasmanians were keen to support MoFo as there were plans for Launceston to exclusively host the festival in 2019.
“We’re taking the plunge and we hope people get onboard,” he said. “We’re going to have a steady presence in Launceston.”
MoFo, which will be held in Launceston between January 12 and 14, was about constantly evolving and never become stagnant, and what better way to encourage change than to move the festival to a different city, he said.
Ritchie was looking forward to the possibility of working with the architecture school and different dance schools in future MoFo events.
Northern organisations, including the Launceston City Council, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, and Junction Arts Festival, had been incredibly cooperative in moving the festival, Ritchie said.
“We couldn’t really ask for better response.”
Gotye’s tribute to French electro-pop musician Jean-Jacque Perrey was on the verge of selling out with a third show added, Ritchie said.
Tickets were still available for Monumental, an explosive collaborative performance by instrumental group Godspeed You! Black Emperor and The Holy Body Tattoo.
“It’s a little unusual, but we think people will like it if they rock up to the show,” Ritchie said.