Mona Foma’s biggest festival to sweep into Launceston this weekend

After a gracious reaction from Hobart audiences, Mona Foma’s biggest festival yet is about to hit Launceston. What to expect.

Mona Foma festival director Brian Ritchie at the Bollywouldn't exhibition at the Moonah Arts Centre. Picture: Chris Kidd

Embarking on their biggest program yet, Mona Foma is setting its eyes up North for the final leg of the festival after finishing in Hobart.

“We’ve had two epic weekends,” festival director and long-time Violent Femmes bassist Brian Ritchie said.

“I was pretty happy with the program. It’s one of the largest programs that we’ve done in the 16 year history of the festival.

“One mainly centred around the Odeon Theatre and other ancillary events and then the second one was the Mona Lawns program. We had plenty of other events and other venues such as Theatre Royal, PW1 and they were all spectacular.”

This year saw international rock stars Queens of the Stone Age perform two shows as part of the festival as well as popular event The Shruti Sessions.

Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme and Mona Foma Festival Director Brian Ritchie ahead of Queens of the Stone Age performance for Mona Foma. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Musicians from the Hindustani traditions mix with Rajasthani folk musicians and Australian players perform in The Shruti Sessions at Moonah Arts Centre as part of Mona Foma. Picture: Chris Kidd

“We strive to be unusual and different every year to change every year. This is counterintuitive to commercial festivals who want to create a brand that’s the same every year that people can predictably get the same experience,” Ritchie said.

“We want to give people different experiences at every event, as well as every year of the festival and every city that we’re in when we’re going between the two cities.”

Ritchie said the audience reaction to the events in Hobart was “very grateful”.

“(They) think it’s a diverse program. They love specific acts, but they also love the adventure of seeing things that they haven’t seen before and seeing a variety of different things juxtaposed with each other,” he said.

Although successful feedback from the audience, Ritchie said ticket sales were up and down.

“There’s a little bit of hesitancy in the marketplace because of the economic environment.

TextaQueen, Bollywouldn’t, Moonah Arts Centre, Mona Foma 2024 THREE Photo Credit Mona. Jesse Hunniford. Image courtesy of the artist and Mona Foma. For Andrew Harper Vis Arts brief for TasWeekend.

“You’ve certainly heard that many festivals are folding and downsizing their program so we feel like we’ve been lucky we’ve gotten through it okay,” he said.

“I’m a performer and the first rule of show business, the show must go on, so we won’t be taking any breaks, we intend to keep going.”

The second leg of Mona Foma will hit Launceston on Friday.

“We believe that Launnie is going to go off because we’re doing TISM and other excellent musical acts in The Gorge,” Ritchie said.

“Launcestonians love The Gorge – rightfully so. It’s their spiritual hal, and they will come to this event and have a great time.”

Mona Foma festival will open in Launceston from Friday, with The Gorge, a free event, on Saturday.