It is his unwavering commitment to the life of a music maker that makes his new CD, Live at the Hemlock, both a joyous homecoming and simply another pit stop. Whether playing to the sound-guy or in this case, a packed, attentive room, Dondero is completely possessed by his songs and the characters within them. So, no matter where he is the songs will come alive, but there is an energy captured on this CD that shows Dondero at his most animated.

When David Dondero is in San Francisco he calls the Hemlock home. It's a place that has established itself as a sanctuary for both local artists and road-worn, world traveling ones. A great sound-system, an intimate room, and a non-jaded staff might not mean much to many people, but to the those who just drove 14 hours to play there, it means everything in the world.