The new home of Mofo got its first taste of the 2019 festival on Sunday afternoon.
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Design Tasmania hosted the first of the Mofo Sessions in the lead-up to Mona’s summer festival in Launceston.
The two-hour gig drew between 100 and 150 people to see electronic producer Akouo and a contemporary dance performance by Rikki Mace and Caitlin Comerford.
Mofo executive producer Shelley McCluaig said one of the highlights for her was seeing the performance by Mace and Comerford.
The pair began in a confined space of a transparent wooden structure, before individually releasing themselves onto the open floor during Akouo’s set.
“I love that we have the dancers involved here with the wooden structures, that they are essentially wearing, and I think the wood looks so good with the current exhibition,” Ms McCluaig said.
“The people who were standing around where the dancers were positioned didn’t know that those items were going to be a part of the performance and to see the space disrupted in that way was really interesting.
“It’s particularly great to see the surprise on people’s faces.”
The gig was the first of a series of fortnightly Mofo Sessions at Design Tasmania, featuring local and interstate acts, that will run until April 2019.
A majority of the crowd on Sunday was an older demographic, with a number of families attending,
With this kind of artist, I love that there’s an older group here that feels electronic music is here for them too.
- Mofo executive producer Shelley McCluaig
Ms McCuaig said she liked how “cross-generational” the crowd was.
“Mofo over the years has engaged with many generations of the one family coming along to the events,” she said.
“With this kind of artist, I love that there’s an older group here that feels electronic music is here for them too.”
Design Tasmania chief executive Karina Clarke said the event was not just targeted toward a younger audience.
“It’s kind of a mix and we are looking at making it available and open for families, and you can see a lot of young kids running around,” she said.
“Design Tasmania has a more mature audience and I think it will just take a little bit of time to attract a younger audience as well.”
The Sunday sessions were planned by Mona to connect with Launceston audiences and start to introduce crowds to different acts in the lead-up to the January festival.
Former Bass Greens MHA Andrea Dawkins attended on Sunday and deemed the event a huge success.
“[The Mofo Sessions] are always going to be building on the capacity of our slightly alternative community to highlight what’s really unique about Launceston,” she said.