Curb Service

Larry Gates is the lone ranger of his infant solo project Curb Service. Formerly a member of Lorenzo Goetz, Gates is a man about Champaign who is well aversed in the CU music scene, mortifying on-stage moments and how to avoid legumes. Catch him at Aroma Cafe’s Acoustic at Aroma series tonight at 8 p.m., where Geoff Koch will open the free show.
buzz: Say we were to go on a date. Where would you take me?
Larry: We’ll have to go to Milo’s for dinner in Urbana — a well kept secret attached to Lincoln Square Mall. We’d have to go catch a show at Station Theatre which has really good shows and really good talent, but it’s intimate and small. Then, we’d go catch some late night action at one of the clubs that have live music.
buzz: What would be your hangover cure for the next morning?
Larry: It wouldn’t be morning — I would wake up at 2 p.m. and have the fajita quesadilla at El Torero.
buzz: How was your trip to Madison this past weekend?
Larry: It was good. I played here Thursday night at the Courtyard with an amazing band called Belikos. The next day I drove to Madison and played probably the best show I’ve had as a solo act now. I drove through a blizzard and played a benefit last night for a fan who’s 14 years old and has ovarian cancer. Despite the ice storm, the community still came out and represented very well.
buzz: Are you pro-snow or anti-snow then?
Larry: Anti-snow. Very much anti-snow. I don’t like anything about it. I don’t like being cold, I don’t like the inconvenience of travel and the change in footwear that’s required to walk through snow. I don’t really care for winter.
buzz: What’s your most embarrassing moment?
Larry: There was a band in town and it was their last week of existence, and they played a secret acoustic show at the Iron Post. It was just going to be that people who knew them came out like family and very close friends. When I was called on stage to rhyme during one of the songs, I attempted to go with the last thing I’d written. I got the first line out, repeated it and then sort of half-assedly attempted to free style. I was shattered.
buzz: What is a food you absolutely won’t eat?
Larry: I don’t eat beans outside of chili. I’ll take steamed, fresh green beans, but those are the only two that qualify. The rest of the legumes are just out. I think it was one of those things where you had to clean your plate a child and those were around often enough that I just really despised them.

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