HoustonChronicle.com - Donnas promise commitment with 'Spend the Night'

The Donnas getting coverage in The Chronicle? What tha ...??? My how they've gone from being little punk rockers to miscast headbangers playing to their punk rock fans. But now this!

I'll be at the show on Saturday and believe you me, these shows are always a blast. The last CD, which I have neglected to do a proper review of still, is by far their best work. The sales have even gotten them to the top of Billboard's Heatseeker chart on new artist sales (nevermind that its their 5th release). The band is ready for a breakout and I'm really curious to see if there's any new faces at Fitzgeralds due to this popularity.

The two sides of this popularity are as old as the ... well, as old as me to put it mildly ... and maybe older. On the one hand, its nice to see something that you've rooted for during the obscure period get that bright shining light of fame that you know they really wanted all along. Part of me hopes they a platinum album by the time its all said and done. But on the other hand, there will be the moderating forces that push such a band into the blandness of music lore. And for a band with as much edge to their music as these chicks, one hopes that never happens. Heck, they have yet to do a ballad ... but you know they will one of these days (I'm not counting their cover of REO Speedwagon's Keep On Loving You ... it was only on a soundtrack and never performed on tour). Much like Don't Speak for No Doubt, you know it's going to be a smash hit. Then they'll feel compelled to repeat that success. I've got Michael Bolton's heavy metal CDs to prove precisely how that sort of thing happens in case anyone doubts me.