Great Dane: Anthony rocks the Atrium - By Carol Allen

If you were in the audience in the Atrium in Harrah's Casino on Sunday night, you know that Christmas came early. Dane Anthony, charismatic singer and frontman, was there with his exceptionally able band the Sons of Thunder, and the group opened up a giant Yuletide stocking of musical delights. The crowd was treated to a selection of rockin' Christmas songs, such as "Run Run Rudolph" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," as well as some great vocal and musical performances of soul classics and blues. There were even some former Sons of Thunder members on the scene, sitting in and jamming on old favorites.

The current lineup of the band features Frank Maione on drums, Bob Coulon on keyboards and left hand bass, and Rick Trahan on guitar. It is a tight and talented unit; Maione's crisp and imaginative drumming, Coulon's wizardry at handling simultaneous bass lines and keyboard parts, and Trahan's inspired guitar playing and powerful voice make the band a force to be reckoned with. As for Dane Anthony, he is a relaxed and natural frontman, and his voice, which has an appealing raspiness, is a fine one. It's not difficult to see why he was chosen to appear as a bandleader in a September episode of Friends. He has the sort of onstage poise that comes from years of experience, and his witty banter with the audience is amusing. At one point, Dane chastised an audience member for not sending a song request to the stage on a "proper request form." A PRF involves ordering drinks for the band, of course; the request was properly presented a few minutes later, and Christmas cheer began to flow.

Chris Reynolds, former Sons of Thunder guitarist, happened to be in town; sitting in on the Robert Cray classic "Nothin' But a Woman," he contributed excellent guitar work, including a fast and fluent solo. Former SOT drummer Bob Kimmel was also on hand, sitting in on "Caught in the Crossfire." He created a fat, funky pocket for the song, which featured churning organ riffs by Coulon, fine guitar work by Reynolds, and Dane's voice at its bluesy best.

Current guitarist Rick Trahan, who does double duty as a lead vocalist, returned to the stage for "Sara Smile," a song that shows off the range and emotion of his voice. His impassioned vocal performance was one of the highlights of the night.

Springsteen's "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" was an energetic and vibrant showstopper, with the multi-talented Dane Anthony contributing accents on the trumpet.

"These guys do everything, from Bobby Darin to Creed," noted Annette Delauter, a longtime friend of the band who has followed them for years. When asked for her view of the reason for the group's enduring popularity and longevity, her answer was simple. "Dane's a showman and a great singer, he has great musicians behind him, and plus, they are all really nice guys."

I couldn't have said it better myself, so I will say no more, except to say: Go see Dane Anthony and his trusty band whenever the opportunity arises. They return to Harrah's regularly; watch the Whoot for details. Until next week, have fun, drive safely and enjoy the music.