Local Legends Perform at Anton’s

WAITE PARK -- Another outdoor concert was held in Sunday's sunshine beside the Sauk River.

Anton’s Restaurant hosted a performance by Canoise, a band that was formed in 1965 by four St. Cloud State University freshman.

Drummer and founding member Pat Curto says they had to break up a few established groups to do it.

We met at St. Cloud State, we were all freshman, and we broke up three bands to form Canoise. We figured we were the very first supergroup and didn't even know it.

The current line-up of members has been together since 1983 and consists of Neil Dunning on bass, Bob Coates on guitar, Larry Suess on keys and guitar, and Sue Newton on vocals.

During their time the band has been all over, including playing in the four state area. They were the first to play at the Press Bar in 1970 and even spent two years playing and recording with some big names in Hawaii. Performers on that list include Chuck Berry and Elton John.

Curto says being inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 2012 is when they became legends.

To go into a museum in New Ulm and see pictures of Bobby Vee, Bob Dylan, the Andrews Sisters, Prince, and over in the corner there's little old us - it was really an honor.

Curto and his wife moved back to the St. Cloud area in the 1990s and he says the band enjoys playing gigs here and there such as this one.

Special guests from the Green Horns joined the band for one set as well.