Donna Drive

4 boys. One sound. Donna Drive. Carlsbad High School Seniors Anton Scholl, Dom Ciarmoli, Jeddy McEvoy and Junior Max Cooper turn their love of music into the driving force for their band.  Formerly known as just a street name in Carlsbad, Donna Drive now represents teenagers fulfilling their dreams.

Boasting an impressive track record through their performances at the Harding Center in Carlsbad, Chain Reaction in Anaheim and the ITA Underground in San Clemente, Donna Drive will be performing at Soma San Diego on March 25.

 “Deciding the set is the hardest,” Scholl says, “We take it almost to a psychological standpoint and we over analyze it because… It’s kind of like riding a wave of energy the entire show… Figuring out the right songs to make it memorable and to keep people engaged.”

 From practicing potential songs to the deciding of their set list, Donna Drive has made the preparation for their shows into a science. Formulating their positions, the songs they sing and how they execute them, all factors lead up to the ultimate goal – creating an energy that makes their concerts unforgettable.

“There’s a really specific flow of energy that must be perfect. We like to start out our shows big so that people get comfortable quick…and about half way through you can play some slower songs and build it right back up for whatever ending songs we play that night” McEvoy said. 

The synchronization of Donna Drive and the utter joy displayed through their performances and ecstatic smiles lifted up the audience around them- creating the ultimate atmosphere. In a study by the Scientific American, a website that covers exciting research, ideas and knowledge about American society, shows that the synchrony between the artists having a good time and the crowd sharing that experience can be shown in eachother’s brain activity- the more connected the audience and the band become, the more enjoyable the concert is. In mid January, I witnessed Donna Drive perform for the first time- initially I was unsure of what to expect, but as the band started playing, every single person in the venue became connected through the music.

Of course, a concert wouldn’t be complete without the songs themself. Recently, Donna Drive released their first single called “Cha Cha” which is an alternative piece available on all platforms. The process behind “Cha Cha,” was a growing point for the band.  

“The lyrics weren’t written with an intentional story line in mind. We just kind of let them flow out the way they did.  The song has developed and grown…I picked out the riff from what Dom improvised in his room two to three years ago and we have just built it since then with our buddy Cason and tips from Dom’s older brother, Rocco,” McEvoy said.

 “I’d say our goal with this song is for it to be different from the norm of music. With this goal, we are trying to hook people in so they are ready for the ride” Ciarmoli says. 

With the goal of producing their own music for the world to hear, Donna Drive was able to accomplish that big milestone together. 

“I value playing with these guys…I was playing yesterday with them and I was like these guys are good musicians and I want to keep playing with them for as long as I can” Cooper says.

Donna Drive has impacted many from the music they perform and the connections they make with their audience throughout the night. Helping out our local teens by supporting their bands can make dreams come true. You definitely don’t want to miss out on their upcoming show at Soma San Diego on March 25. As Cooper says, “That’s my drive for Donna Drive”.

Donna Drive Instagram: https://instagram.com/donna.drive?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=