Hobart’s Dark Mofo festival has announced its 2017 lineup. To say it’s amazing is the understatement of the century. Each year, the event pulls some of the most interesting and experimental names in music and art, and once again, the latest addition has outdone itself, with Mogwai, Ulver and Einstürzende Neubauten, A.B Original, Xiu Xiu performing the Twin Peaks score and a performance of John Cale’s silent meditation 4’33” among the many highlights.
On top of this comes the Winter Feast, the infamous Nude Solstice Swim (which is exactly what it sounds like), Red Bull Music Academy parties until 5am and a myriad food, performance art, dance, a full film programme and the laser-and-fire-laden Dark Park.
Easily the most exciting, innovative and challenging festival Australia has to offer, the even takes place in June, at Hobart’s spectacular MONA, with some events taking place throughout the city as well.
Legendary post-rock group Mogwai will return to Australia to headline Dark Mofo alongside Ulver, an innovate and frequently collaborative experimental metal group out of Norway. Ulver will be performing twice – once for a headline set, and once with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, for a performance of their stunning 2013 album Messe I.X-VI.X. Einstürzende Neubauten, meanwhile, are an experience in and of themselves, with the progressive noise pioneers out of Germany spearheading the industrial movement- this is absolutely not to be missed.
Another massive highlight is Xiu Xiu, who will be performing the score from Twin Peaks, which they released as an album last April. Elsewhere still is a heady collection of Australian performers, including the mighty A.B. Original, Thelma Plum and Ancient Rain, which is a joint effort between Paul Kelly, Irish performer Camille O’Sullivan and pianist Feargal Murray.
Hymns to the Dead is basically its own festival within the festival. it’s a fucking crazy gathering of some of the doom-iest black and death metal ever seen on one stage in Australia. Arriving from the UK, Scotland, Norway and beyond, feast your ears on the deathly sounds of Taake, Anaal Nathrakh, Barshasketh, Grave Miasma and Mournful Congregation.
The Red Bull Music Academy parties, titled Transliminal, are set to take over Hobart City Hall with the help of techno extraordinaire Robin Fox, who also performed at January’s Mona Foma. For those who wnt to stay up late, but are in the mood for something a little softer, Borderlands offers up beanbags, minimal electronica and soothing folk.
This is only a fraction of the music – and we haven’t even spoken about the art, performance and food yet. Check out the full lineup below, and head to the official website for much more information and tickets.
Dark Mofo takes place June 8 – 26 2017. A pre-sale will begin at 10am on Monday April 10 and general saled from 10am on Tuesday April 11.
DARK MOFO 2017 LINEUP
Mogwai* (Scotland)
Einstürzende Neubauten*
Ulver* (Norway)
Ulver + TSO: Messe IX-VI.X* (Norway/Tasmania)
Chris Levine* (GBR)
Hermann Nitsch* (Austria)
Mike Parr
Sound of Silence: Alfredo Jaar* (USA/Chile)
Welcome Stranger
Dark Mofo and City of Hobart Winter Feast
Dark Park
Siren Song: Byron J Scullin + Supple Fox
Red Bull Music Academy: Transliminal
Crossing
+ Unconscious Collective
+ Danielle Picciotto + Alexander Hacke
+ Miles Brown
Ancient Rain
+ Paul Kelly
+ Camille O’Sullivan (Ireland/UK)
+ Feargal Murray (Scotland/UK)
Hymns to the Dead
+ Taake (Norway)
+ Anaal Nathrakh* (UK)
+ Barshasketh (UK)
+ Grave Miasma (New Zealand/Scotland)
+ Mournful Congregation
Buried Country
A.B. Original
Thelma Plum
Sleeping Beauty
+ Victorian Opera + TSO
The Museum of Everything
+ Mona
Sophie Hutchings
Ogoh-ogoh
+ The Purging
+ The Burning
Borderlands
+ Alessandro Cortini (Italy)
+ Klara Lewis (Sweden)
+ Grouper (USA)
+ Lawrence English
Xiu Xiu plays the Music of Twin Peaks (USA)
The Second Woman: Nat Randall
Radio Gothic
The Dark Chorus: Lucy Guerin Inc
Luke Howard + Tilman Robinson
Dark Mofo Films
Silence: Strings of the TSO
Nude Solstice Swim
*Australian exclusive