Wednesday 13/12/06 White Rose Movement, Rubicks @ King Tut's, Glasgow

White Rose Movement clearly divide people. It’s only one song and already six people standing nearby have rushed for the exit. Perhaps they were expecting a talk on the anti Hitler German youth movement from which the band took their name. Or maybe they were there to see male/female two piece Rubicks and their underwhelming groove heavy rock. Despite the odd moment of passion they’re sadly one dimensional and only divert the attention for a few songs before becoming tiresome. They were also plagued by technical problems beforehand, ensuring that the night’s headliners were also delayed.

Eventually, White Rose Movement emerge and it’s fair to say that in image they score top marks. All of the five piece look like rock stars plucked from the 1980s with bassist Owen Dyke lurching around the stage. Female keyboardist Taxxi adds a element of allure, giving rather icy looks to the crowd. Sadly, the music does not match the glamour of the band’s look. They’re a mix of post punk, electroclash and out and out pop, at times sounding like a blunt Depeche Mode. The heavy synth and rumbling bass combination that charges most of their songs doesn’t convince, instead coming across clunky. Both ‘Cruella’ and ‘Luna Park’ whine on for ages like a deformed Duran Duran but missing any semblance of pop stylings. 

‘Pig Heil Jam’ is another laborious effort, still using the same formula. It drags on so long your humble correspondent starts to wonder if his watch has actually stopped, such is the tedium. By this point, vocalist Finn Vine has started meandering about the stage as if he’s at Wembley. Instead of being impressive it adds a faintly ridiculous air to the gig. They’re not totally without value, ‘London’s Mine’ has a pleasingly heavy thump and ‘Love Is A Number’ is a twisted Joy Division squeal of the highest order.  Yet these moments are too far spread out and it’s safe to say that those early departees really didn’t miss much.