Xu Xu Fang and The Human Value at Spaceland

Xu Xu Fang and The Human Value teamed up for Club NME night at Spaceland. It wasn't the first time seeing this dynamic team up of bands as they had previously played together at the Viper Room in June. A waft of fog quietly started to build as the members of Xu Xu Fang took the stage.

Xu Xu Fang





It is extremely easy to get lost in a Xu Xu Fang performance. Their magical combination of ethereal keyboards, droning guitars, hard-driving drums and rapturous vocals wraps around your ears just like the fog that slowly rolls across the stage. The Mourning Son is one of the top psychedelic releases this year that finishes with the epic "Terra Scura".

Barbara Cohen (Vocals) walked on to the stage as the band had already started to find its groove. Jenna (Keyboards) was surrounded by a few keyboard controllers dialing up various watery patches and swirling Rhodes keyboards. I took some pictures identifying some Z. Vex Fuzz Factory pedals and a Wah Probe. I also spotted a red Fuzz Face that I suspect was modified by Death By Audio due to the old school knobs on the fuzz and volume controls. Xu Xu Fang recently covered The Cure "Fascination Street" on the stellar tribute album Perfect As Cats with such artists as Bat for Lashes, Kaki King and Tara Busch from Analog Suicide.


The Human Value




The Human Value have yet to fail me in putting on an energetic live show. Turu (Vocals) started the evening triggering various glitches from a miniature Korg Kaossilator before tearing into "Pleasant Town". Hiram Fleites (Guitars) filled Spaceland with his split signal running into a Ampeg Bass Cab and Fender guitar amp. The Human Value will soon release their album Push And Pull in the states with a special vinyl release that includes a few bonus tracks.

"Pretty Mouth" continued the fierce storm of noise as Turu banged on her stand alone drum and would occasionally drop to the floor. Turu recently started up Pretty Mouth records to sign a slew of bands they discovered in their stint out in the UK. The Human Value even worked through "All These Years" which is one of the bonus tracks from their album. "I Don't Care" closed out the evening in raucous fashion with stage looking like a whirlwind had made its rounds. The Human Value will be at the Eagle Rock Music Festival on Oct 4th at the Kingsize Labs stage so make sure to check them out.