Afternoons at Spaceland

I have enjoyed my week off from concerts and stored up some energy to tackle 2009. My self imposed vacation didn't last too long when I saw the line up of Eagle And Talon, Xu Xu Fang and Afternoons at Spaceland.

Eagle and Talon





A sullen Casio keyboard riff percolated through Spaceland with Eagle And Talon garnering the attention of the crowd. Eagle and Talon are primarily a two person project with assistance from various band members. Kim (Vocals/Guitars) alluringly strummed her guitar for the noisy "Hot Caught" with her partner in crime Alice (Drums) adding a shuffling beat. Eagle and Talon thrive on dissonance and force together notes and harmonies that normally don't mesh.

"Palm Springs" played like an ode to Sonic Youth with its underlying tension, scratchy guitars and Kim possibly channeling her hero Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth. Eagle and Talon automatically got points for incorporating a theremin in there set. The world needs more theremin. "One Lark and "Moisturizer" had Alice and Kim exchanging their instruments, as they debuted a number of songs from their upcoming album Thracian. I wouldn't be surprised if they book a residency soon.

Xu Xu Fang





Xu Xu Fang look to make even more noise in 2009. Their EP The Mourning Son was one of the stronger releases from the Los Angeles music scene in 2008 with its fogged washes of psychedelic guitars. Xu Xu Fang are at it again by issuing Seven Days Now, which includes their cover of The Cure's "Fascination Street".

Xu Xu Fang excels in the live show department. Their performance at Spaceland was spot on. "Ni Hao" said a lot more than hello with its storming three guitar assault. Barbara Cohen (Vocals) seemed to materialize out of the fog to lend her soaring vocals to "The Mourning Son". "Good Times Have Gone Away" would be Xu Xu Fang's call to arms as the song builds from a slow marching to a full charging anthem. The watery guitars and keyboards of "Seven Days Now" immediately reminded me of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter" but much more hallucinogenic. Xu Xu Fang is perfectly poised for a residency to help broaden their fanbase. I hope they hit South By Southwest so other folks can catch on.

Afternoons




Afternoons had one of the more successful Spaceland residencies in 2008 back in July. The freight train that is Afternoons continues to gather steam. Afternoons just released their debut digital single "Saturday Morning (After The Funeral)" on itunes through Spaceland Recordings.

A slow cooking stew of synthesizers gave way to the glorious harmonies of "Love is a Western Word", as Afternoons immediately captivated the Spaceland audience. Brian Canning (Vocals/Guitars) dialed up his swirling jangling guitars with assistance by Steven Scott (Guitars/Vocals) and his Rickenbacker guitar. Tom Biller (Bass) whipped up a thumping bass line for "Graffiti Artist" when Claire Mckeown (Vocals) added her atmospheric vocal flourishes. "Saturday Morning (After The Funeral) blew me away with its subtle incorporation of bouncy electronic threads of synthesizers woven into the hook of the song. "Say Yes" is guaranteed to send shivers up your spine with its ridiculously catchy chorus. I predict Afternoons will headline the El Rey theatre by the end of the year.

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.

Xu Xu Fang and The Human Value at the Viper Room

The fog rolled into the Viper Room as Xu Xu Fang was celebrating the release of their album The Mourning Son. The Viper Room was closed for a few weeks for renovation but only had some subtle differences to the inside decor as it largely retained its darkened vibe. The future of Indie 103.1 Monday's Check One..Two Viper Room shows seems to be up in the air as a new booker has been hired. They have some big shoes to fill as I have witnessed many amazing line ups at the Viper Room.

The Sagittarians



There was something familiar about The Sagittarians that I just couldn't put my finger on. A trio of musicians had gathered on stage led by Neil Busch (Keyboards/Vocals) who plotted through a handful of brooding piano riffs. I would later uncover that Neil used to play bass in And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead. The Sagittarians would fall on the polar opposite of his prior band with references to older bands as The Doors and the cabaret element of The Dresden Dolls. The new shroud of the Viper Room complimented the darkness of their accompanying tunes very well. I didn't see any news of a full length album but there are quite a few tracks on their Myspace page.

Xu Xu Fang




Xu Xu Fang seemed right at home on stage at the Henry Fonda when they opened for Swervedriver. The Viper Room stage could barely contain the members of Xu Xu Fang but the smaller stage meant a greater effect for the fog machines as the fog crept across the stage. It was so foggy that I was unable to get any pictures of Bobby Tamkin (Drums) who is the engine in the muscle car that is Xu Xu Fang. The Xu Xu Fang immersed the crowd in sound with a fuzz wash of "Sweeten The Ride". The trio of guitarists continued to lay the foundation by conjuring up the walls of psychedelic drone for "The Mourning Son". The lighting dimmed after a few songs as the Fang really found their groove and I found myself lost in a swirl of noise. One of the many highlights of the set was the incorporation of a Z. Vex probe that was mesmerizing and had me green with gear envy. "These Days" was another hypnotic jam that slowly navigated through a maze of haze. I anxiously await the next Xu Xu Fang experience.

The Human Value





The fog had quickly lifted as the hurricane trio known as The Human Value took to the stage. The Human Value impressed me a few months ago when they closed out Spaceland during The Pity Party Residency. The Human Value should be releasing their album Push & Pull domestically and played a large portion of material from the album. Hiram Fleites (Guitars) was all over the stage rocking out on his Epiphone guitar covering a wide sonic spectrum by splitting his signal. Turu (Vocals) was completely unhinged from the first note immediately captivating your attention. "Hold Of Me" had winding guitar riff that was immediately dragged in fuzz as Turu would grab a drumstick and start tapping on any object in her path along with the beat. The swirling phaser action of "Pleasant Town" was hypnotic as Turu would end up writhing on the floor while singing. The Human Value will be playing the Prospector on June 24h as well as the Beauty Bar in San Diego on July 16th with the Pity Party.

Swervedriver at the Henry Fonda Theater

My show options for Saturday were mind boggling. Some of the choices included The Cure at the Hollywood Bowl or I could hang out with my brother at Iron Maiden. I opted for the sonic bliss of Swervedriver, Film School and Xu Xu Fang. I was already sad that I missed the Swervedriver Casbah show but was ready for a sonic blast at the Henry Fonda Theater.

Xu Xu Fang







Xu Xu Fang have been on my radar for quite sometime but I have always managed to miss their shows due to conflicts. This was quite the introduction to the world of Xu Xu Fang as they filled up the stage with their dense sheets of noise along with billowing smoke. Xu Xu Fang crowded the stage with their trio of guitarists as they doled out portions of fuzzy guitars splattered against atmospheric keyboards. Xu Xu Fang played some selections from their EP The Mourning Son. "The Mourning Son" heavily droned as light Rhodes keyboard notes sprinkled across the song like chocolate sprinkles on a rich chocolate cake. "Good Times Have Gone Away" was a guitar tour de force that partially recalled My Bloody Valentine with an injection of The Velvet Underground. Xu Xu Fang will be at the Viper Room on June 16th with the Human Value and it will be intense.


Film School






Film School never sounded better. I think anyone who was in attendance would agree that the Henry Fonda was dialed in as the auditory clarity for Film School was top notch. The icy chill of the keyboards from Jason Ruck paired with James Smith's steady drumming knocked out any audience members who were unaware of the sonic storm that Film School churns out. "Compare" and "Lectric" were some of the many highlights of their set with a severe knockout punch administered in the form of "He's A Deep Deep Lake". Greg Bertens (Vocals/Guitars) was wildly swinging his Fender Guitar around the stage as Dave Dupuis (Guitars) was enjoying the large stage area by jumping around. Film School did a triumphant wave to the crowd at the end of their set and smiled knowing they knocked it out of the park.

Swervedriver







Adam Franklin blew me away when I caught his solo show at the Echo in July of 2007. I never thought I would get the chance to see a full blown Swervedriver reunion as they used to tour with one of my all time favorite bands Hum.

Swervedriver quickly announced their presence with a blazing version of "Sci-Flyer" right out of the gates. Adam Franklin (Vocals/Guitars) was deftly using his tremolo arm for the dreamy notes as Jimmy Hartridge (Guitars) added his thick guitar work to the mix as Jez Hindmarsch (Drums) furiously pounded away. It had seemed like Swervedriver had never left. The ripping guitars didn't stop as they demolished "Sandblasted" from their album Raise. It was pure sonic ear candy. I had a feeling that the majority of the audience as full of musicians and guitar worshipers. Steve George (Bass) was anchoring the low end with his Fender Jazz Bass as Adam and Jimmy frequently switched guitars all night. As much as I wanted to believe that Adam had a dense rack mounted setup for his guitar rig, I spotted only a few Boss pedals and a Matchless amplifier. I hate to believe it but guitar tone lies in the hands of the guitar player.

"Duel" was another sonic romp with injected nitrogen into the already speeding set from Swervedriver. I was extremely thankful for being at the Henry Fonda at this point and was quickly reaffirmed that I had made the right decision. It was literal sonic heaven as Swervedriver tackled "Girl On A Motorbike" and "Rave Down". The ante was upped with a show stopping version of "Duress" and the closing coda of "Last Train To Satansville". Thank you Swervedriver. Thank you very much.