Cult folk-punk nomad Dave Dondero has a song or two for Orlando

It may seem an implausible ask to witness a live performance from one of the best living songwriters today, but Orlando residents are in for a bit of luck Friday. Listed by NPR among the legendary likes of Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan is Florida’s very own David Dondero — a veteran performer across the punk rock and folk scenes, yet still somewhat of a hidden gem. Over the past few decades, cult-hero Dondero has been traveling solo to an endless succession of indie venues to share his extensive discography. It’s a body of work that is highly regarded for its lyricism and emotive ebb and flow, so much so that it landed him that honorific from NPR and made him a noted influence for the new generation of folkies, including Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst.

Orlando Weekly interviewed Dondero about his experience traveling the country, playing in bands versus playing solo, and finding the time and inspiration to create while on the road.

Your latest album, Immersion Therapy, came out this past year. Tell us a bit about your process of creating it and how it’s been having that project out in the world.

It came about during the pandemic. I was living out in Portland, Oregon, with John Shepski and his family. He owns Fluff and Gravy Records, and we ended up just putting a few songs together; it eventually became an album. It’s a reflection of that time. It’s been over a year now since it’s been out, and it’s been pretty good. Some of the songs I don’t really sing anymore, but a couple of them are ones that I stick to in the set.

You’ve been touring pretty consistently throughout the past couple of years. Do you have a favorite part about performing your music live?

I never know what to expect. I try to mix it up every night. I don’t do a setlist, and it’s interesting to improv and stretch out on storytelling and expand on songs from the past to make them live in the present.

If you aren’t creating a setlist each night, how does the order of the songs you want to play come to you?

I try to read the room and see what’s happening around me and make it fit to what’s going on at that moment.

Are there any favorite spots or cities that you love going back to play?

I just love coming to Florida, especially in the winter when it’s not so hot. I appreciate Old Florida, you know, the Weeki Wachee mermaids and that old left-over culture from the 1960s, driving the backroads, boiled peanuts … and the history of artists that have flocked to Florida in the past. I love Cuban food and Cuban culture. So as soon as I get further south, I love to just eat as much as I can. You know, as I head down towards Tampa and Miami.

You transitioned to your solo career back in the late 1990s after being in a series of different bands. What are some of the differences between working as a solo artist and working collaboratively?

As a solo player, it started off as a necessity, because most of my punk rock bandmates grew up and got married and got straight jobs and mortgages, and I wanted to keep going. The most cost-effective way to do it was to go solo, and I was writing songs. So I kept going with it, and just started learning how to travel on my own through connections from punk rock. I had the unfortunate habit of continuing to write songs and the habit of travel. I can’t seem to get it out of my blood.

We were watching your NPR Tiny Desk performance from back in 2009, and in the comments someone said this was great music for a road trip. Do you ever visualize things like this or specific places while you’re writing your music?

Absolutely, a lot of the core of the songs come from while driving long stretches. Things come to mind a lot of times when I’m on these trips, and I’ll scratch them down or record them on my phone while I’m driving. So, yeah, for sure, it has a direct link to transience. Definitely a part of the whole process.

That’s a theme that’s pretty consistent in American folk music, traveling or getting on the road, it brings people together. It’s such a universal feeling.

I’ve been around this country probably 100 times, maybe more, and I’m still excited to travel. It’s always exciting to know I’m going to be going on a trip, no matter where it is. And you say, well, what’s your favorite part of that? It could be anywhere, you know, as long as there’s a gig. There’s always something interesting around the corner that you’re not expecting. So I’m very excited to go again into Florida, into deep Florida. I got connected with Nicholas [Sellitto] from the Modern Music Movement, and he’s been hosting me for some events in the past couple years, which have been in different spots, so I want to thank him.

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This article appears in Dec 4-10, 2024.