The Tyranny of Dave is David Wechsler, whose songwriting with historical rock band Pinataland has been called "eclectic" and "fascinating" [New Yorker], "truly original" [Paste Magazine] with "remarkable lyrical and musical depth" [Amplifier Magazine]. His previous album Vacations showed up on the best albums of 2007 from the popular blog, Lucid Culture, which called the album a "vivid, rain-streak travelogue, an impressively diverse, literate mix of Americana styles." His work has been compared to Camper van Beethoven, Tom Waits, They Might Be Giants and other sterling songwriters but retains a flavor all its own, tinged with everything from bossa nova to country to klezmer to Hawaiian without ever falling into cliche.

The new album, The Decline of America Part One: The Bush Years consists of songs written from 2001-2008, dovetailing the political failures of the era with Dave's personal ones.

Donna Herula. Chicago blues singer and slide guitarist, Donna Herula, will play old-time Delta and Country Blues on her 1930's National Steel resonator guitars. In her solo acoustic act, Donna performs the songs of both the early blues women (Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie) and the early blues men (Robert Johnson, Robert Nighthawk and Blind Blake). Donna has performed at numerous venues including the Chicago Blues Festival, Bayfront Blues Festival (Duluth, MN) and the Mother's Best Festival (in Helena, AR) through the Delta Cultural Center.