No surnames. No ballads. No fuss. Now that rock'n'roll is apparently fashionable again, it's good to see a band who would consider a hairbrush too pretentious. Four California Girls with a spiritual flatshare in Queens, The Donnas have spent nine years on a mission from The Ramones and remarkably, as suggested by last year's album 'The Donnas Turn 21', they've only just come of age. An age that passed with Joey and Dee Dee, maybe - but one they know how to act.
There might be a thin line between having a one-track mind and just having the one track but tonight, the new songs play that trick of sounding like the old songs but better. One is called 'Take Me To The Backseat'; another 'On The Rocks' - it's Rizzo's final victory over Olivia Newton John, the Pink Ladies wreaking beauty-school-dropout havoc at CBGBs. Singer Donna A - Kirsten Dunst if she wasn't courting a drippy mutant spider - even lasciviously admits they nearly missed their own show thanks to a new backstage friend who "doesn't know who we are and doesn't care". Obviously, their 'Midnight Snack' isn't kept in the fridge.
Prom Queens Of The Stone Age who've aced Rock'N'Roll High School, The Donnas could do whatever they want. And like all good girls gone bad, all they want to do is this.
Victoria Segal
NEW! For the latest music videos and backstage interviews, check out our brand new sister site, NME Video.
- Previous : Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Jimmy Eat World, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Cooper Temple Clause, Riv
- Next : Supergrass : London Camden Electric Ballroom
Comments do not always reflect the views of NME, or IPC Media, for guidelines visit our Ts & Cs page