Mona Foma (MOFO)
January 15-19 2014
Last weekend the circus came to town. A saying often used by conservatives when they spot someone a little left of centre – but we can’t think of a better way to describe the craziness and debauchery that is MONA FOMA and it’s darker little sister, Faux Mo.
The first day. Hoards of mainlanders have descended on Hobart and the party has well and truly begun. For a city that is lovingly known as a big country town and not so lovingly known as Slowbart, we sure know how to throw a mean festival.
Wednesday night it all started with the opening of Faux Mo, this year located on the water at the Huon Quays. Over the course of the four nights that Faux Mo runs for, the folks at MONA (assisted by the fabulous Duckpond) were unveiling a surprise (or several) for the masses; at the entrance, a space shuttle nursing a cinema inside its belly, for one, plus whatever tricks were hiding up Duckpond’s pyjama sleeves.
After three years of Faux Mo tomfoolery, we’ve come to expect the unexpected – it’s what they deliver time and time again. This year there was a disco in a laundry (entry via slide), the Bongo Van (a disco in a room containing a van with the DJ at the wheel) and a cocktail bar serving Island magazine’s cocktail of choice: the back-chatting Negroni. Somewhere in the middle of all this, the discovery was made that the Portaloo toiletpaper was cinnamon scented. Of course. (Those toilets sure smelt like Christmas.)
The musical acts throughout were awe-inspiring, resulting in some pretty impressive shape-cutting on the dancefloor.
The opening night saw the Rainbow Connection DJs playing to a big crowd on the outside stage. The rain didn’t halt the dancing to classic tunes: Madonna, Mariah Carey, INXS, Justin Timberlake and Missy Elliott. A dubious mix, for sure, but trust us, it was amazing fun.
Thursday night’s DJ was the excellent DJ Dameza, the audiovisual genius (and Hobart boy) who had the crowd dancing well into the night with his unexpected, but brilliant, mash-ups. At the close of night we found ourselves in the laundry disco with the Rainbow Connection DJs’ second set. Their choice of last song, none other than Toto’s ‘Africa’, was nothing short of delightful and, we dare say, the perfect ending to a great second night.
Saturday, the opening of the MoMa markets – located on the MONA lawns where our friends from Slow Drop coffee were dishing out their aromatic (and heart stopping) cold-drip coffee – provided a great jumpstart to our hearts… and the rest of the fest.
MoMa every Saturday
January 18-April 19
Mona lawns
12-5pm, free
Kate Harrison is Island’s superstar business development manager and resident angel.