The Red Deer Music and Arts Festival is a one of a kind thing in Brisbane, and seeing as 2017 marked it's final year, it was no surprise they pulled out all the stops. Despite the rain, the music was to go ahead, the sinking of the tinnies was out in full force, and armed with a bin bag repurposed into a poncho, I was looking forward to enjoying a day of excellent craft, music and vibes. 

Natalie Wench and Josh Mcnz started off the day early before the rain, encouraging punters to groove (or chill on damp couches), and Tiarne got in one song before the rain got too heavy. Unfortunately Hawkmoon and Pink Matter were rained out, but this didn't discourage the crowd who were keen for the madness that Mayhem For Mary delivered with their heavy guitars and menancing vocals. Alex and Bec Crook delivered some cool folky harmonies and Mezko's glittery beats sung out over the rain with the kind of stage craft you'd expect from a headlining band. 

It wasn't all music though, with plenty of other fun activities to participate in. Hula hooping and belly dancing workshops filled the grass with activity, and the fashion show showcased some of the weird and wacky costumes that the Space Oddity theme had brought to their field. 

The music continued into the night, and soon it was time for the bigger bands to play. The Kite String Tangle was flanked by the worsening scent of portaloos wafting through the drizzle, but the stench didn't deter from the aural experience that he was providing through course of his electronic bangers. Smoke drifted into the crowd as the lights bore down on the stage, and he played through his set with ease. Tiana Khasi made an appearance for The Prize and Stone Cold  and he brought out some horn players for This Thing We Got before finishing with Arcadia. 

TRANSVAAL DIAMOND SYNDICATE played on the far stage next, and their funky blues rock act made the crowd forget about the misty rain and focus on dancing instead. Humble in their banter but ferocious in their delivery, these guys left the punters hungry for more. 

Finally it was time for the band we were all waiting for, The Preatures to enter the stage. Opening with I Know A Girl, The Preatures showed they meant business. Dressed in a silver bomber jacket and red velvet pants, Izzi commanded the stage with the effortless practise of a seasoned musician. Despite one eloquent 'I can't hear shit' in relation to her ear piece (and I would never had known if she hadn't said so), they moved through their set quickly with minimal talking. New tracks like Girlhood, Mess It Up and Magick combined with oldies Cruel, Somebody's Talking and Better made for a perfect setlist. The cherry on top of course was the jaw dropping performance of Is This How You Feel (and not a single person moved out of the mosh to dry shelter). A perfect end to a dreary night. 

The campgrounds were in high spirits for the night, depsite the impending car bogging many punters were sure to have to deal with in the morning. Red Deer, we're sad to see you go.