Username

Password

Register - it'll be fun

x
• New: Extra features for registered users, register to see your homepage.
• SxSW 2008: See the best online coverage of this year's festival - click here for news and pics

SxSW 2008 Live: The Donnas

18th March 2008 | by Aidan Williamson

Having only just reviewed one of The Donnas live shows on British soil last year, it seemed a wee bit unnecessary to be doing it again, but their fast, friendly and fun show - on home soil as well - proved to be too tempting to resist.

Beginning with the instrumental introduction to their latest album "Bitchin'", guitarist Allison Robertson, bassist Maya Ford and drummer Torry Castellano take to the stage in what would of been a standing ovation had the entire audience not been standing already. When lead singer Brett Anderson (again, no, not that one) joins them two minutes later, the crowd goes nuts.....er.

Anderson feels comfortable enough to throw herself at the audience in her home country, something which she does repeatedly. Whether due to a lighting malfunction, or to preference, guitarist Robertson spends most of the evening in Emo's main room clouded in darkness, with only slithers of light rebounding off her hair providing a clue to her presence. Well, that and the best rock 'n' roll guitar playing known to man coming from her corner.

In a shorter than your average set, the long-running quartet drew mainly from their latest album, with the occasional dalliance from their "Spend the Night" days. True, these girls should be playing arenas now, by rights, but we'd feel more than a little sad for the loss of intimacy from their incendiary performances.

More Live Pics

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•