Dark Mofo Reveals Line-Up: Einstürzende Neubauten to Headline

Iconic Tasmanian festival Dark Mofo has unveiled the massive line-up for this year’s event, featuring exclusive performances from pioneers of experimental noise Einstürzende Neubauten, reigning lords of Scottish post-rock Mogwai and dark ambient experimentalists Ulver.

Einstürzende Neubauten

This year’s event takes place from Thursday 8 June to Wednesday 21 June, and marks the beginning of the festival’s new five-year partnership with Events Tasmania.

Here’s your first look at some of the program highlights:

M U S I C

Einstürzende Neubauten: Exclusive to Dark Mofo 2017 // ‘Greatest Hits tour’ representing some 37 years of creative innovation // Friday 16 + Saturday 17 June, 7.30pm @ Odeon Theatre, $69 + booking fee, 18+.

Mogwai: Exclusive to Dark Mofo 2017 // Saturday 10 June, 7.30pm @ MAC2, $89 + booking fee, 18+.

Ulver: Exclusive to Dark Mofo 2017 // An Australian first and exclusive performance of their new album The Assassination of Julius Caesar // Thursday 15 June, 7.30pm @ Odeon Theatre, $79 + booking fee, 18+.

Hymns to the Dead: Dark Mofo’s one-night, multi-band metal-fest paints everything black this winter, featuring Norwegian black metal legends Taake, British grindcore and black metal group Anaal Nathrakh (Australian exclusive), demented death metal from London’s Grave Miasma, Australia’s funeral doom lords Mournful Congregation and New Zealand/Scotland death metal horde Barshasketh // Wednesday 14 June, 7:30pm @ Odeon Theatre, $59 + booking fee, 18+.

Xiu Xiu Plays the Music of Twin Peaks: Experimental ensemble Xiu Xiu (US) takes on Angelo Badalamenti’s ever-eerie soundtrack to David Lynch’s classic Twin Peaks. Damn fine score, set to footage from the television series itself // Sunday 18 June, 3pm @ Odeon Theatre, $49 + booking fee.

A R T UK-based laser art pioneer Chris Levine will shoot giant, technicolour lasers 10-kilometres into the air, transforming the Hobart skyline. He will be accompanied by spatial sound designer and Bjork-collaborator Marco Perry.

Hermann Nitsch - 122.Action, 2005, Burgtheater Vienna. Picture: Georg Soulek

Hugely controversial avant-garde pioneer Hermann Nitsch will put 500 litres of blood to use in what is sure to be a visceral and confronting performance.

Siren Song will deliver Dark Mofo’s traffic-stopping centrepiece - a siren that will sound at sunrise and sunset each day through 550 loud speakers positioned across Hobart’s waterfront, ringing out with feminine incantations from featured artists including Tanya Tagaq (Canada) and Carolyn Connors (Australia).

E X P E R I E N C E

Dark Park, an industrial public art playground, will transform Hobart’s docks from the festival’s opening day until 21 June with an array of immersive and interactive installations coming to life each night.

Winter Feast, the gastronomical heart and soul of the festival, returns for its fifth year. The feast takes up residence at the Princes Wharf precinct on Hobart’s historic waterfront across seven nights and two weekends.

Hobart City Hall will be transformed into an industrial-scale transcendental rave, complete with disorientating atmospheric light installations by Robin Fox for Transliminal – a celebration of dark electronic music.

Multi-venue, experiential art party Welcome Stranger will give punters the opportunity to peruse a pop-up cluster of private clubs, hotel rooms and disused venues around a Hobart city block, where feminist punk, avant-choreography, ecosexual bathing, and woodchopping will make the mix.

Tickets for Dark Mofo 2017 go on sale 10am Tuesday 11 April AEST. Visit www.darkmofo.net.au for more info.