Rainbow Serpent 2018: Fire, sweat and techno

Michael Mayer - Market Stage, Sunday

Michael Mayer’s three-hour set from 8.30pm was one of the stand outs of the festival, moving through huge releases on his Kompakt imprint from the likes of ANNA, Jürgen Paape and Clarian in an electic set that closed with ‘Love is in the Air’ to a loved-up pink laser-bathed crowd up. Both tracks off ANNA’s latest on the label ‘Speicher 101,’ ‘Hidden Beauties’ and ‘The Dansant’ were absolutely huge, with the former our choice in a set packed with massive tracks. Even the security guard at the front of stage was going off to this one, with the legend’s moves and embraces of the front row making their way onto Mayer’s Instagram. Life-affirming. Special mention to Paape’s ‘Whisper Echo,’ to which the Market Stage’s Sunday night lasers first started ramping up, piercing the sky with green, purple and blue as the night moved into its next era to the alluring, stuttered vocal and textured techno.

Solee - Market Stage, Monday

Mad Monday - Christmas Day, if ‘doofing’ were a religion, according to an unattributed pull quote in last year’s 20^th anniversary program - featured Dutch artist Miss Melera, German veteran Robert Babicz, Solee and Quivver from 11.30am till the Market Stage’s close at 7pm. Darkening overcast skies and a rolling wind threatened to bring another storm as Babicz dished out techno and acid tracks. Pelting rain hit with Solee’s set, with Mixmag taking cover in a tent decked out with colourful curtains and pot plants centre at the back as the strings of ‘Morgenrotsonate’ built up the bubbling energy of the festival’s last party, considered by many to be its best, with scenes getting even wilder in the festival’s final throes. The German producer’s melodic, energetic set was another of Rainbow 2018’s finest, as we got in the thick of it for one last club before our well-worked legs clambered to the campsite for the final time.

Scott Carbines is Mixmag's Australian Digital Content Editor, follow him on Twitter

Image via Zeazy