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The Donnas rev up their rock & roll machine. The Donnas Toast to Atlantic Palo Alto's favorite girl group ups the ante with a move to a major By Sarah Quelland PALO ALTO's Donnas are all grown up and ready for some action. The quartet released its first four albums on Berkeley punk label Lookout! Records, but now they're making the big leap to a major, pushing their rock & roll machine into overdrive by signing on with Atlantic Records. The group has plans to spend most of March and April in San Francisco's Toast Studios with producer Robert Shimp recording its fifth album. The Atlantic Records debut is tentatively slated for a late summer release. The Donnas have consistently kept themselves in the limelight. Most recently, their song "Are You Gonna Move It for Me" (from 2001's Turn 21) aired on the sci-fi teen drama Roswell. The Donnas are also headlining Bimbo's with the Pattern (a Lookout! band), the Evening and Vue as part of San Francisco's annual Noise Pop Festival (which runs Feb. 26-Mar. 3). Noise Pop organizers have announced they're releasing a 10-year commemorative two-CD retrospective compilation featuring exclusive, live, unreleased and forthcoming tracks from bands that have participated in the music festival (including the Flaming Lips, Guided by Voices, the Fastbacks and Death Cab for Cutie) to coincide with this year's celebration. A portion of proceeds from CD sales will benefit the Popular Noise Foundation. Another South Bay band, Smash Mouth, has big news of its own. In mid-March, the sunny retro-pop outfit joins *NSYNC on tour. That union starts after *NSYNC's local March 8 date at the Compaq Center where Ginuwine is scheduled to open. ALL THE NEWS: Mix Master Mike, Rocker-T and the Scientist participate in the first-ever 215 Blowout this Friday (Feb. 15) at the Fillmore in San Francisco. The event is a celebration of Prop. 215, the medical marijuana initiative that's being sponsored by the Cannabis Action Network. Guest speakers include Fred Gardner (the public liaison for District Attorney Terrance Halinan) and medical marijuana patients. Regular tickets are $26 (with tickets for a VIP party on sale for $100) and proceeds benefit the CAN. Call the event hotline 510.486.8083 for more info. ... Compact Disc Land (477 University Ave in Palo Alto) has two events coming up. Gordon Waller (of Peter and Gordon), Cyril Jordan (of the Flamin' Groovies) and the New Moondogs do an in-store this Friday (Feb. 15) at 7pm, and the Motels' Martha Davis gives a short acoustic set and autograph signing next Wednesday (Feb. 20) at 6:30pm (the Motels play the Icon Nightclub that night at 9pm). Donations of canned food for the Second Harvest Food Bank are requested. ... The Cactus Club hosts two shows this Sunday (Feb. 17). The matinee show starts at 4pm with My New Life, AM Holiday and Fleur De Lis, while the evening switches over to a rock en español format with Orixa, Delirio and Blasfemia. ... Rock 101 Promotions is holding two Women in Music--Women Who Rock events next week. On Thursday (Feb. 21), Jasper Thresh, Strange Girl and Delicious Blue play at Fanny & Alexander in San Jose and on Friday (Feb. 22) Courtney C. Patty and Sweet Duration give an acoustic performance at the Barnes & Noble on Stevens Creek in San Jose. ... Search the holiday section of Metro's online calendar at http://calendar.metronews.com for a complete guide of Valentine's Day and Valentine's weekend events. PLAN AHEAD: Acid King, Ledbender and Lost Goat, Feb. 14 at the Lido; Nelly Furtado, Feb. 14 at the Warfield in San Francisco; Karate High School, Unjust, Sikness, Depths of Depression and 3rd Rail, Feb. 15 at the Cactus; Lavabone, Sift, Hostility, Technocracy and F-Bomb, Feb. 15 at the Pound in San Francisco; TSOL, Agnostic Front and the Casualties, Feb. 15 at the Catalyst in Santa Cruz; Woodshed, Velkro, Code 47, My Fat Sister and A Burning Water, Feb. 16 at the Cactus; Fighting Jacks, Rivals and Girl Repellent, Feb. 16 at Armando's Cafe; Sevendust, Gravity Kills and Flaw, Feb. 18 at the Fillmore in San Francisco; Willie Nelson, Feb. 19-22 at the Fillmore in San Francisco; Kasey Chambers, Feb. 20 at Bimbo's in San Francisco; Tenacious D, Feb. 21 at Slim's in San Francisco; Keno Champ, Lavabone, SECURITY, Moodfrye and Rivals, Feb. 22 at the Cactus. [ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]