Dear Diary: On Location at Dark Mofo (Day Two)

‍Dark Mofo 2025
Hobart, Tasmania
Diary Entry: Day Two

“It could be sweet, like a long forgotten dream.” – ‘It Could Be Sweet’, Dummy, Beth Gibbons, Portishead 1994.

Although the context of these nine words suggests a “question” motif to an extent, Ms. Gibbons has matter-of-factly captured the exact sentiment this writer, and assuredly countless more Dark Mofo festival attendees, would be feeling after her breathtaking performance at Odeon Theatre on Day One.

“…like a long forgotten dream.”

In all honesty, this scribe has waited over three decades to witness Beth Gibbons enchant her audience with her uniquely stunning and ethereal serenades. After missing out 14 years ago, this wish had become a long forgotten dream. Nevertheless, thanks to Dark Mofo (and Wall of Sound), there was no FOMO to be experienced at all. The ‘Magic Doors’ of opportunity were well and truly open and this scintillating showcase will not be soon forgotten.

Day Two included more sight-seeing, sensational seafood and glacial arctic sea breezes that shook people to their core, much like New Zealand artist Ronnie Van Hout’s enormous Quasi sculpture. A gargantuan appendage that towers overhead, placed atop a Hobartian classical building that fuses the artist’s face and hand in a monstrous likeness – it is delightfully disturbing.

“Delightfully disturbing” is probably the best brief description to allocate to Day Two. A very distinctive demonstration was to take place at Odeon Theatre (more on that later), but arguably the grandest drawcard was to be the opening of Night Mass: God Complex. A night festival that excellently exhibits an array of wildly weird and wonderful artistic extravaganzas including a performance from famed Massachusettsian, jagged pop singer LUCY (Cooper B Handy); his cover of ‘Beauty & The Best’ was radically remarkable. Puppetry, showcases of sexual deviance, DJs, humorous religious anecdotes and depravity and so much more! This almost captures what unfolds at this multiple weekend sold-out event; essentially it is dependent on the spectator and how deep and dark they want to venture.

There was a lot to indulge in, perhaps to the degree of overwhelming, like a long forgotten dream…

‍The Second Show

‍“Seizure Warning.
Parental Advisory.
Clown Core.”

After a tumultuous commencement riddled with technical difficulties, these six words radiated from the backing screen. American avant-garde jazz EDM grindcore architects, Clown Core, took their respected positions atop the Odeon Theatre and remained completely motionless. If it hasn’t become obvious yet, or the readers are unaware of this deranged duo, the pair dress as clowns. This characteristic incites a comprehensible level of intrigue, but whether it is that of merriment or Coulrophobia is in the eyes of the beholder.

On this night, the sold-out crowd’s eyes were undoubtedly transfixed onto the percussionist, the saxophonist and the whirlwind of demented footage that was to accentuate their unhinged music fusion.

A momentous exploration of our universe in film began the production, the cinematic reel possessed the grandeur of Christopher Nolan’s epic Interstellar released in 2014. The musicians however, remained eerily stationary the entire time. The movie then accelerated into a Google Maps motif landing at a not-so-picturesque location featuring palm trees, birds chirping and a chicken wire fence. After a 15-minute delay and introduction, the ExperiMetalist two-piece launched into their assault, and it was sensationally spellbinding.

‍‘Flat Earth’ was a marvellous monstrosity of industrial jazz electronica, with its messages of “Pain. Pain. The Earth Is Flat, Because You Are Fat. I Like CWD Positive Meat.” being plastered all over the screen in a fit-inducing prominence. This was followed and intensified by ‘Van’ with its luminous lyrical lunacy reading:

“I want to die in a submarine accident,
I want to die in a submarine accident,
I want to die in a submarine accident,
I want to die in a submarine accident.”

Perplexing? This exhibition absolutely was, but like watching a trainwreck, it was impossible to look away.

The audience’s reaction was nearly as diverse as the musicianship. Some laughed, some cheered, some danced, and many were paralysed in awe from what was unfolding in this cacophonous complexity of artistic musical madness.

The film element to the spectacle was as remarkably random, and often more disturbing, as the avant-garde jazz EDM grindcore itself. Pornographic images featuring mostly overweight humans who would morph into animals or other evil objects frequented the screen (a prominent use of AI was clearly utilised), as well as retro pornography clips too; a venture through a mountain range completely made of meat was profound to say the least, excerpts of the band’s very strange film clips in the van, Portaloo, and even their misbehaviours (defecation and partial nudity inclusive) provoked deafening cheers and laughter from the spectators. Fragments of YouTube reviews about the outfit, generally of the negative and confused nature were presented and celebrated, animal mating sessions, political visual projections about the USA burning, images of gluttony, laser shows, even a QR code that directed willing observers to the PayPal website.

The whole production comes across as a sensory overload – to be frank, that is exactly what it ludicrously, and enthrallingly was.

‍‘Computers’ was an eccentric exploration of jazz-disco-core with a spectacular saxophone solo that may have aligned with the trumpet playing prowess of Miles Davis. Since the identities of Clown Core’s members is speculated for the most part, the woodwind player should consider their ghost-name to be: “Smiles Rave This” – saxophonist’s rarely have the astounding capability to transform a jazz driven atmosphere into an EDM rave.

Unfortunately more technical difficulties disrupted the DEMONstration which perplexingly and respectively, the duo managed to use to their advantage. The two-piece simply found a sense of harmony amongst the havoc – darkness, quiet and a bike horn. When they reignited, they did so with “Tasty, tasty, beautiful fear” (Pennywise), but throw in a Benny Hill sample and immeasurable disarray.

Clown Core flexed their musical magic with an intricate post-rock undertaking that was out of character, and certainly, awe-inspiring. Naturally, this was short-lived as the next eruption was in the form of ‘Toilet’ which unfolded exactly as scripted:

“Don't you ever turn my pizza inside out.
*Clown horn*
Calzone will not be tolerated.
*Clown horn*
You have no idea what I’m capable of.”[Saxophone Solo]Weird, right? An encore unexpectedly occurred that in all probability baffled the band more than the congregation who demanded it. ‘Hell’ was executed in an Aphex Twin meets The Prodigy jazzified orgy with undulating groans of animalistic grotesquery. In reflection, this was brutifully, perfect. “Please leave. Thank you for your money.” End.

Honourable mention needs to go to the widely spoken Crash Body showcase. A real life simulated car crash right before our eyes which will be described in more detail for diary entry three...

What other fascinating stories will rise from the upside down at Dark Mofo ? Stay tuned...

Words by Will Oakeshott @teenwolfwill