It’s a sad day for all goths all of the country. The 2020 instalment of Dark Mofo festival has been cancelled in response to concerns around the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).
“After a thorough risk assessment on the potential impact and disruption of coronavirus, we have been left with no option other than to move the current program to 2021,” shared Dark Mofo Creative Director Leigh Carmichael in a statement “The implications of COVID-19, and subsequent travel, financial and logistical issues, are beyond our control.”
Carmichael detailed that the decision to can the festival now, instead of wait until the last minute to make a decision was to prevent dire financial impact which would “run into the millions” and could potentially mean the end of the festival.
“Our current priority is to minimise the implications and cost on our audience, artists, suppliers, sponsors and key stakeholders, and support our staff through a challenging period.”
Dark Mofo founder David Walsh shared an additional, gloriously transparent statement on the Dark Mofo Facebook.
“Naturally, Leigh Carmichael is forlorn, but he sees no other option,” he wrote. “He and Dark’s committed staff had planned another bang-up celebration.
“We could soldier on, without consideration or advantage, have the crowd turn up anyway, and send them home sick. Worse than that, for me at least, would be proceeding with Dark Mofo and having it fail, and thus having it become the final Dark Mofo.
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“So we’ll see you next year. Assuming, that is, another black swan doesn’t cause another white elephant.”
Read it in its entirety below.
Advantage is a better soldier than rashness.—Henry V, Act III, Scene 6We’re killing Dark Mofo for the year. I know…
Posted by Dark Mofo onTuesday, 10 March 2020
Thankfully it’s not all bad news, Bon Iver’s sold-out performances will still go ahead as part of their national tour.
