WHEN THUNDER COMES

Artist Information

Biography

In 2010, the evolution of WHEN THUNDER COMES continues. The additions of Mary Jane Oelke as violinist/flute/vocals along with Huston Jacobs on drums/vocals and Marv Egolf on bass/vocals propel the songs to a new level, texture and spirit. The shows feature the best songs from the past three decades by David Cawkwell. The performances consist of Medieval/Celtic influenced songs with a psychedelia nod that allow, urge and compel the listener to visualize the story line of each composition. With many shows under their belt and active MySpace and Facebook sites, WHEN THUNDER COMES’s goals are to move forward rapidly to spread the positive feelings of good times for all. Veteran musicians at the top of their game, the main inspiration for them is their love of the songs, the joy they bring to each member, and the warm responses from audiences.

In March 2009, WHEN THUNDER COMES released their newest CD, “500 Miles”. This project represents 1 ½ years of work with no time or expense spared. The music combines 60’s sensibilities with 80’s new wave rock with a very modern alternative sound. These anthemic, upbeat and melodic songs are a breath of fresh air in such complicated times. Four part harmonies, psychedelic guitar leads, and a thread of Celtic flavor merge together with precision songwriting. The title cut, "500 Miles", opens with Rickenbacker 12 string guitar, orchestral keyboards, and the unique lead vocals of David Cawkwell. Some listeners have suggested that the sound harkens to Jethro Tull/Midnight Oil meets U2. After several live performances, it became evident that the audience hangs on every word of the lyrics. Vocalist, Yvonne Valley,layers a distant, ethereal harmony to the lead vocals.

In 2007, WHEN THUNDER COMES released their 4th CD,”FAREWELL NOSTRADAMUS”. This was a very eclectic production that showed versatility of sounds and ideas. The medieval theme weaved a rock opera style with dark and light moments. In addition to these recordings, there are eight other releases in the legacy and continuing evolution of WHEN THUNDER COMES.

Instrumentation

Dave Cawkwell: electric/acoustic guitar, lead vocals; Mary Jane Oelke:electric violin & flute, vocals; Yvonne Vally: vocals, percussion; Huston Jacobs: drums, vocals; Marv Egolf: bass, vocals.

Discography

See main photo"Time Line" for the pictures of the 10 releases from 1979 thru 2008.

Links

• CD Baby
• iTunes
• Facebook
• MySpace
• Frantic Records

Audio

• Pride and Passion
  Listen  
• Ireland
  Listen  
• Endless Seas
  Listen  
• In The Dark
  Listen  
• Land of the Ancients
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Pride and Passion
• Ireland
• Endless Seas
• In the Dark
• Land of the Ancients

Video

Wonderful Day

Photo Gallery

Press

• "500 Miles" by When Thunder Comes [+ Show ]
  

  A big part of the appeal of the New Wave movement back in the early 80's was the shift away from the...A big part of the appeal of the New Wave movement back in the early 80's was the shift away from the bloated AOR sounds dominating airwaves to a simpler,60's-oriented approach to songs and melody, albeit filtered through a new attitude as well as a new sonic template, that would eventually shape much of the legacy of 80's Rock. On "500 Miles", the latest CD from When Thunder Comes, New Wave is the order of the day in a 12 song collection that is, however, no less contemporary for all of its retro embellishments. On songs like "Good Ole Days" and the title track, "500 Miles", keenly balanced lead and harmony vocals are set off against tasteful synth incursions to flesh out rockers that are both catchy and provocative. Other tracks evoke different sounds of the New Wave era, like "See You In My Dreams", with its almost U2-like slice of ethereal pop, and "Endless Seas", reminiscent of classic Talking Heads. Throughout, though, the band plays with fire and precision, delivering up a set of infectious originals that mark When Thunder Comes' "500 Miles" CD as fitting in this era as it would have been 25 years ago.

• When Thunder Comes Was the Sonic Bids Emerging Artist of The Week [+ Show ]
  

  There are not too many bands out there with a sound like When Thunder Comes and we appreciate their ...There are not too many bands out there with a sound like When Thunder Comes and we appreciate their special blend of rock and celtic music and the way all of their vocals are delivered. Check out CD Baby and their releases listed there.
  
  In March 2009, When Thunder Comes released their seventh music release CD entitled, 500 Miles. This music continues the 'Evolution of Thunder' that started in 1983. Upbeat, positive, joyful, melodic are just a few descriptive words. This project represents 1½ years of work with no time or expense spared. The music combines 60’s sensibilities, with 80’s new wave rock but with a very modern sound. These anthemic, upbeat and melodic songs are a breath of fresh air in such complicated times. Four part harmonies, psychedelic guitar leads, and a thread of Celtic flavor merge together with precision song writing. The title cut, 500 Miles opens with Rickenbacker 12 string guitar, orchestral keyboards, and the unique lead vocals of David Cawkwell. Some listeners have suggested that the vocal style is like Jethro Tull or Midnight Oil. After several live performances it became evident that the audience hangs on every word of the lyrics while bouncing along with the steady beat of the drums and bass from Jonny Rock. Keyboardist, Harrison Tate brings unusual high tech sounds that are original and orchestral while vocalist, Yvonne Vally, layers a distant, ethereal harmony to the lead vocals. In 2007, Thunder released their first CD called, Farewell Nostradamus. This was a very eclectic production that showed versatility of sounds and ideas. The medieval theme weaved a rock opera style with dark and light moments. With many shows under his belt, singer-songwriter David Cawkwell continues to evolve his music with new players and move forward to spread the positive feelings of a good time to all. As veteran musicians at the top of their game, the main inspiration for them is their love of the songs and the joy that it brings. If you would like to discover a band that has a large catalog of recordings...listen to Thunder !
  
  Instrumentation:
  Dave Cawkwell/electric and acoustic guitar, lead vocals, Mary Jane Oelke/electric violin and flute with vocals,Yvonne Vally/vocals and percussion, Huston Jacobs/drums, Marv Egolf/bass
  
  http://www.muzikreviews.com/whenthundercomes.php
  
  
  

Setlist

Pride and Passion, Ireland, Something Real, Naked, 500 Miles, In The Dark, Land of the Ancients, Dreaming, Endless Seas, Farewell Nostradamus, Being You, Circle World, Brave Heart, Good Ole' Days, Wonderful Day, Dance Around My Fire, etc. (75+ songs)

Basic Requirements

Calendar