The Metro

Chicago, IL

February 13, 2003

Photos by Niva Bringas / Review by Anita Lande

The Donnas prove that female punk rock is alive and kicking!   

Should we risk to spend the night with them as the title of their latest album suggests –– "Spend the Night With The Donnas!"     

You’re damn right we should.   And we did, when The Donnas came and conquored Chicago with a sold-out show at the Metro the night before Valentine’s Day. 

All four female members, who are in their early twenties, were dressed in jeans with tight t-shirts.  Donna A. is Brett

Anderson, lead vocalist, proving their songs sound just as good live as in the studio. Donna C. is Torry Castellano, drummer and Donna F. is Maya Ford, bass, that deliver a rock solid rhythm background, and the amazing guitarist, Donna R., Allison Robertson

who blew away the audience with her lead guitar riffs. 

The Donnas played many of their earlier songs including: "Hyperactive," "Midnight Snack" and "You've got a Crush on Me," and then introduced the crowd to some of their latest material,  "Take it Off," "Who Invited You" and "Take me to the Backstreet."  

Most of their songs musically fall in the “power rock” genre and tend to sound very similar, so to improve this, The Donnas need to experiment a bit more with musical melodies and song structures.  Meanwhile, their high energy live show proved to be entertaining and above all else –– FUN!    

The Donnas have stated in many interviews that they have been musically influenced by Joan Jett, Lita Ford, and the all-female band they fronted backin the mid-1970's, The Runaways.     

So the hard rockin’ ladies were naturally thrilled when we stopped backstage and presented them with a custom-matted color photo that BEAT photographer Niva Bringas (who works for Jett) took of their idol.

 Looks like there it is okay to "Spend the Night with The Donnas” as long as you like to rock, roll and get really sweaty!