Thunderwüde are a blazing bluegrass band born in Chelsea, Michigan. We witnessed their musical magic at a house concert in Manchester.
Thunderwüde
If you have been to the Chelsea Ale House on a Wednesday night, then chances are you had the good fortune to hear Thunderwüde. The band is made of Jason Dennie (guitar/vocals), Tommy Reifel (bass), and Wesley Fritzmeier (mandolin/fiddle/vocals). Each of these guys are talented musicians in their own rights and together are a whirlwind of bluegrass originals, traditionals, and some crazy ass covers.
House Party
Our friends Robin and Bill are diehard supporters of local music, especially in the folk and bluegrass genres. They offered up their beautiful home in Manchester to serve up a big old helping of Thunderwüde. This was a great way to see the band up-close and personal. The bonus was the opportunity to hangout with some fun-loving music fans and meet the band.
As we gathered around with tasty beverages in hand, the guys in Thunderwüde gave us a sampling of their take on mountain music with the originals “Simple Perfect Day”, “High Standards”, and “Shakin Hands”. Each song had its own character and emotion.
Besides playing some superb original music, Thunderwüde put their own spin on a few cover tunes. They paid homage to the sensational songwriting of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings with their version of “Wichita”. When I heard the first few notes of “Needle and the Damage Done” by Neil Young, the hairs on my arm stood up. Thunderwüde played both songs to absolute perfection.
Picking and Grinning
In addition to some seriously good covers, the guys in Thunderwüde like to have a bit of fun. Their take on “All About The Bass” by Meghan Trainor was hilarious. It was spot on and a witty way of showing that bluegrass transcends musical genres. If you have the talent that these fellas have, you can make any tune sound special.
After two sets of music, Thunderwüde wrapped up their show with many thanks and heart-felt applause from the audience. The band hung out to share a beverage with friends and fans while enjoying some incredible homemade pretzels courtesy of Robin. This band is a treat to the ears. Stop by the Chelsea Ale house on Wednesday’s or check out their Facebook page for future gigs. Stop by our gallery for a few more shots of the band in action.
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