From Buzz Magazine 11.11.04
Open the jewel case for Jesus Elephant to find just that: a pachyderm with a halo, or more specifically, a cartoon pachyderm with a cartoon halo. The merry pranksters of Lorenzo Goetz maintain this same angelic appearance amid original material such as "Flagrante Delicto (3some)." The challenge for a Lorenzo Goetz album is to stand on its own, even if no studio recording can compare to the bacchanalian revelry that makes Lorenzo Goetz such a popular concert draw.
Nor can a single song epitomize the pudding of pop, hip hop, Brit and stoner rock, and mariachi that more or less is Lorenzo Goetz, although "Muy Macho" and "Flagrante Delicto (3some)" come close. Two sides of the same coin, the former is coy and buoyant and signals that this album means business, while the latter is a sultry slow-burner that conjures images of some Gypsy tea parlor an hour inland from the Mediterranean.
The rest of Jesus Elephant leans more toward standard pop. Most fun is "Several Days Away," an ebullient number new to the live set and prime single material despite colorful language. "Jesus Elephant," the title track and lead single, sounds like a one-off collaboration between The Flaming Lips and Grandaddy, except that Larry Gates has a stronger voice than Jason Lytle. The one misfire is "Buddah," a hip-hop track so overshadowed by guest talent that any musical link to Lorenzo Goetz is unrecognizable until the three-minute mark.
Jesus Elephant is a good album, fuller and overall more focused than what preceded it. If only it better reflected the chemistry and spontaneity of Lorenzo Goetz, it would defy easy categorization as local or regional music. Even so, it is a welcome menu or tour manual for the next trip.
From: ErasingClouds.com 6.05
Lorenzo Goetz is a pop band with some serious groove. Most of Jesus Elephant has a danceable bounce to it, or at least a beat to incite extended head bobbing. But Lorenzo Goetz is by no means a part of the exhausted indie dance scene. They have a flavor all their own. It is not derivative of the current trends in indie music. The Lorenzo Goetz flavor is more laid back, and void of pretension. The most immediate comparison I would make is to Beck. The songs have their own feel to them, but still groove on a very organic level. There is an eclectic mix of instrumentation on Jesus Elephant but it is never excessive or out of place. From horns to electronics to tribal drums, all of Lorenzo Goetz's artistic choices are tasteful ones. They even break out the cowbell. Most of the songs are very rhythm driven, but the vocals are also rich in their delivery. There is not a whole lot of melody to the vocals, but the structure of the syllables and the general attitude of the vocals definitely drive the songs. Many of the tracks have a hip hop flavor to the vocals, which adds to the eclectic mix of sounds on the record. There is even one track, "Buddha" that is straight hip hop, but with a refreshing twist of acoustic guitars and minimal drums. The song also features a raspy sung chorus that has some real soul to it. On other tracks the vocals are more poppy and straightforward, but always tasteful and well sung. The lyrics are not printed in the liner notes, nor could I find them on the Innocent Words website, so I'm not sure what the religious connotation is that is present throughout the record. Songs like "Hymnal," "Jesus Elephant," and "Buddha," definitely evoke some curiosity into the religious emphasis of the album. The cartoonish elephant donned with a halo on the album's tray card makes me fee like the religious reference is a sort of light-hearted metaphor, but who knows for sure. The album overall, is groovy and soulful and sure to get you on your feet.
– Brad Amorosino
From: Crooked Camera 3.05
Lorenzo Goetz is not a person, rather a quintet from the Chicago area. They bring the rock old-school and with as much flavor and grooves as a bucket of peppers. LG has massive hipster appeal, but they can back it up. Even thier press photos are pretensiously funky, is that possible?
Vocalist/Guitarist Larry Goetz’ lyrics are as perplexingly deep as Beck yet LG have more of a slight nod to The Slackers meets the Flaming Lips as far as the Roland G33 Keys are concerned. "American Love Story" is our favorite track ranging from groovy forefront ending up with a soothing acoustic backrub and Buddy Holly soprano. If you dig Beck, or Mike Doughty or even have soft side for Jesus and Mary Chain, give LG a shot, there’s a good chance you’ll be happily surprised, we were.
From: Impact Press 3.05
Bouncing between a pop-funk Beatles style and a true groove all their own is Lorenzo Goetz. This solid release is a ride through impromptu jazzy rock styles that allow the bass guitar to shine as much as the steady percussion and guitar strumming does. The rhythm throughout Jesus Elephant is comparable to mixing hippie music and Beck, whereas the instruments go off in different directions while smooth-out vocals harmonize to create a cohesive atmosphere of trip-hop and mellow rock sounds. (JC)
From: Just Add Noise 4.05
As Lorenzo Goetz (no one person named Lorenzo, but four midwestern guys collectively known as Lorenzo Goetz) swaggers through the swinging doors with the retro-meets-modern-indie rock groove of Let It Out, you can instantly tell you're onto a band who is working hard to make you their next fan with many nods to their influences along the way.
The first highlight comes in the form of American Love Story, one of several tracks that sound like what I imagine Sublime would've sounded like had they grown up in Michigan instead of Long Beach and listened to more Beatles and less Marley. Included in this group of tracks is the next highlight, Slow. A groovy, lethargic stroll "down University and Sunshine" with a funky bassline, drumming reminiscent of The Beastie Boys on their instrumental record The In Sound From Way Out and a tossed-in Modest Mouse-ish shouted background vocal.
The bouncy Alright is one of my personal favorites; although not the most inspired, the most catchy with the hooky chorus of "you're alright with me x3 / you're alright when you're with me" in a nasally voice that reminds me of this crazy-ass Dallas club-party singer Alligator Dave. Followed by a spacey, instrumental track that follows roughly the same tune, slowed to a psychadelic rock pace.
With a nod to early Jane's Addiction, Flagrante Delicto (3some) steps second furthest from the beaten path with a booming drum beat and trippy, desert highway guitars. Several Days Away tips it's hat to boppy 80s rock while Buddah has spoken word, rap-rock verses, bluesy acoustic guitars and soulful choruses worthy of being on a Giant Step Records release making it the answer to "which one of these things is not others?"
One of the best "bands I had never heard of before" that I have come across lately.
From Left Off The Dial 8.05
Jesus Elephant; I love this album title. If I could, I’d take the whole review and just analyze that little piece of the collective package I received from the Midwestern band Lorenzo Goetz. I don’t know; maybe it’s the fact that Jesus and Elephants conjure up thoughts of religion and Republicans (two very scary things), or maybe it just makes me giggle.
This album is self-produced, recorded and engineered by Larry Gates (lead vocals/lyricist/multi-instrumentalist) and Josh Miethe (backing vocals/multi-instrumentalist). The two of them worked the board to create an awesome-sounding album. It’s not super snazzy or over polished, rather it is clear and sounds almost like it’s a very natural, live performance. That alone gives the band additional props.
And then there are the tunes, which for the most part, are solid. The first five tracks are well-crafted pop songs, and the second batch is a little more experimental. You can tell that the boys from Lorenzo Goetz are heavily influenced by late-sixties British pop, Beck, and dare I say, Cake. When I listen to album, it instantly takes me back to my college days, sitting on the porch on a lazy Sunday afternoon under the influence of some chemical, letting the stereo crawl out the front screen door. That’s a good feeling for my now ‘working for the man’ life.
A personal favorite on the album is the instrumental "Hymnal." This track immediately brought to mind Camper Van Beethoven’s earlier ska-heavy albums. There’s nothing too special about the track, though it made me appreciate what these guys were doing even more; they’ve studied their roots. I also have to say that I love the song "Jesus Elephant." There is a nice dreamlike quality to the tune, emphasized by the chorus’s lyrics, "Androids and elephants, Jesus and elephants, they come to my room, they crawl through my window (at night)." It may not be the most radio-friendly song on the album, but that’s not what wins over my heart. I like music that takes me to a brave new world.
The last two tracks come out of the blue. They’re not entirely different from what was on the rest of the album, but they definitely showing some risk-taking, and ultimately it’s taking risk that makes a band grow. The guest vocals on "Buddah," particularly during the chorus, are outstanding. And in the end, I’m going to bring it back to my first point: how can you not like an album called Jesus Elephant?
From Openingbands.com 11.5.04
Review #1 - Jordan Schwartz
My first exposure to this band Lorenzo Goetz was maybe a month ago at the Union. I had arrived at 7 pm only to find the show didn't start until 9. The friends I came with ditched me for greener pastures. Lorenzo Goetz made their appearance on stage after 11 pm, with maybe a few dozen people left at the Courtyard Café. Despite the lack of audience, pure energy was radiated from that stage, with their mix of Beck and Sublime and a little bit of the weirdness of Modest Mouse.
And now I have the opportunity to listen to their brand spanking new CD, Jesus Elephant. Before it's even out for the general public! Take that, suckas. Right now I am listening to this CD and positively grooving. This whole disc just grooves. I can imagine chilling out with friends listening to this CD and just feeling cool.
Some of the songs are darker, like Flagrante Delicto (3some). Some of the songs are more playful, and others go from upbeat dancer to chill groove, like American Love Song. And the Jamacian influences, and guest vocals, on Buddah, are way hip. And yes, they groove. I know I've used the word groove too much, but that's the best way to describe the album. Jesus Elephant arrives in stores November 16th. I recommend getting it sooner, if you can.
Review #2 - Chris Earnhart
Those who don't know me don't know of my love affair with Lorenzo Goetz. I've got the work of the band from their first album, Slowly, and even most of the lead singer's side or former project stuff. At first, I was not planning to review this new album, but it's the end of the wire with no second review in, so here is an educated opinion on the new album, from someone with 2.5 years of experience and countless LG concerts under his belt.
This album is absolutely amazing. I've had some reservations about their old album and EP, because it just didn't grasp the full blast of their live show. There was something missing. When I listened to them, I found myself repeating the live shows over in my head. I found that if I did not, then the album was less enjoyable.
With Jesus Elephant, this is simply not the case. Every track flows seamlessly into the next. Why I would skip a song on this album is beyond me. This album, for lack of any better way to put it, feels right. But what does it sound like?
I could say that Lorenzo Goetz sounds like the lovechild of Sublime and Beck with a hint of the Beatles and a hint more hip-hop. But that doesn't cover the variation between songs. It doesn't cover the wonderful new drummer, Jesse, and his cowbell in "Slow." (That's Jesse with a silent "e," by the way.) It doesn't cover the slight western or punk influences that feed into the music. It's hard to get bored of this album, because every song is a change from the last, but it is still undeniably Lorenzo Goetz.
Even with the changes, songs like "Muy Macho" show that the band has finally found itself in a tumble of wild influences. It's a groove the whole way through. The very sound sways back and forth, forcing the listener to do the same. This is the song that sends that shiver up your spine. It also lends itself to some opportunities for rocking.
Meanwhile, "Jesus Elephant" provides a trippy bedroom adventure, reminiscent of "Yellow Submarine." It's a bouncy, spacy song with a catchy chorus. This one is playing on regular rotation on 107.1. Finally, "Buddah" should be mentioned as it includes the musical stylings of not only Lorenzo Goetz, but Czar Absolute of Animate Objects and Brandon T. Washington of Temple of Low Men.
From: Playback St. Louis, 12.04
Add a dose of funk to the Beatles’ pure pop sensibilities, toss in some ultra-cool jams, and mix with a little bit o’ hip-hop, and you’ve got Champaign’s Lorenzo Goetz. A four-piece (vocalist/guitarist Larry Gates, guitarist/vocalist Josh Miethe, bassist Eric Fisher, and drummer/vocalist Jesse Greenlee), the band chose its moniker to convey a hybrid of sounds and influences, and they deliver. Whereas LG’s debut EP, Allure, was a bit uneven, Jesus Elephant is a smooth hybrid of sounds (until the end—but more on that later).
"Let It Out" kicks off the disc, the Beatles song that never was. Next up is the ultra-funky "Muy Macho," in which Gates confesses, "I’ve been developing a habit/strictly out of habit." Following the cool groove of "American Love Story" (with some song-ending falsetto vocal work that is stunningly reminiscent of Bryan Hoskins and TripStar) is "Slow," the highlight of the disc. Honestly; I can’t get enough of this catchy song; I’ll put it on repeat all night. Gates rap-sings the words and you’ll quickly find yourself joining in: "I pay the time no mind/I’m eastbound walking down University and Sunshine."
On "Alright," a short, stripped-down tune a lá Beck, Gates lazily remarks, "You’re alright with me." "Ave Maria" is a hauntingly pretty song; "Several Days Away" is more power-pop than world-influenced. The title track mixes simple guitar with an electronic buzz and begins: "Such a typical evening/otherworldly feelings/wide awake by mistake/I intake, I create/androids and elephants/jesus and elephants they come/to my room, they crawl/through my window."
Lorenzo Goetz added a new drummer to the mix just before they went into the studio to record Jesus Elephant. What came out is a unified mix of musicians who, despite dipping their toes into a number of musical genres, have released a damn fine pop album.
—Laura Hamlett
From: Smoother.net 3.05
They’ve got their Beck, they’ve got their vinyl of The Beatles as well as a horde of no-name indie acts that might have released a 7" to critical praise in some kid’s ‘zine in Iowa and little else. But Lorenzo Coetz doesn’t care if their music reaches the masses let alone that lone dude in the middle of ‘merica. Because what is important is that they express their knack for wiring together pop songs with indie rock. It’s this type of serene attitude that they exude seeming to bleed it from every pore with an essential exuberance that is quite rare in the indie circuit.
~ J-Sin
From: The Hub Weekly 11.4.04
Lorenzo Goetz: Jesus, Elephants and Rock ‘n’ Roll: Local Rockers reach the next level with Jesus Elephant
by Brandon T. Washington
Larry Gates leans back in his chair and scrubs his face with both hands. His band, Lorenzo Goetz, is preparing for a 12-day tour to promote their second Innocent Words CD, Jesus Elephant, and organizational snags have become a part of his everyday life.
"Yesterday felt like defeat. The posters for the record are late, the buttons are late, and all of a sudden the tour has a four-day hole. But today," he continues, with an accomplished smile on his face, "I confirmed a gig at CBGB’s, and Josh [Miethe, LG guitarist] comes to my office to tell me that the discs arrived. So today feels like victory."
"It’ll be fun to play CBGB’s," Miethe says. "It would be funner with the Ramones, but it’ll still be cool."
Lorenzo Goetz has been a band since 2001, comprised of lead vocalist/guitarist Gates, Miethe, and an otherwise revolving cast.
"I was peeling away from my previous band, The Goody Patch, and happened to run into Josh, who’s an old friend, at Jupiter’s," Gates says. "I asked him if he played bass, and he said no. So we started playing together."
The pair recruited C-U veteran Kevin Colravy to play drums and asked an old friend, Mike Harper, to handle the guitar duties. "Mike’s a great musician," Gates says. "But his playing sounded out of context with the direction that this band was headed."
Soon after Harper’s exit, Miethe mentioned a co-worker of his, Eric Fisher, who played bass.
"I figured he had to be better than me," Miethe says.
"I hadn’t been in a band before," Fisher adds. "I had jammed a bit, but never anything serious."
With the lineup solidified and a deal with spanking new indie label Innocent Words, Lorenzo Goetz dropped the Allure EP and got about the business of playing live to support it. Make no mistake about it, this band works. So much so that, in early 2004, Colravy departed ranks, and LG needed a drummer. Enter Jesse Greenlee, Centralia transplant and drummer-at-large.
"It’s been really cool to be in this band," Greenlee says. "I really get to be creative, as far as playing what I want to play, as well as playing for the song’s sake. It’s a good balance."
"The band definitely changed when Jesse joined," Gates chimes. "No disrespect meant towards Kevin, but having Jesse in the band opened the band up and settled us down, musically speaking."
Which brings us to Jesus Elephant, the band’s first full-length disc. Upon first listen, it sounds more focused than Allure.
"This record is the next logical step," Gates says. "Allure was kind of all over the place. We had a couple of indie rock songs, a reggae tune and a mariachi song . . . Jesus Elephant brings our influences under control a little more."
The band’s sound has been likened to a mad mash-up of the Beatles, the Beastie Boys and Beck. When asked if he agrees with the comparison, Larry muses, "Well it was kind of coined before it was true. But we were headed in that direction anyway."
The band tracked drums with the help of Jimmie Myers at the Highdive in March and then took the tracks home to Miethe’s house for overdubbing, which, depending on who you ask, was either a lovely experience or a full-on freak out.
"We lost a whole song; we lost a couple of little skits we had planned. I’m like ‘I’m gonna get kicked out of the band,’" Miethe says sheepishly.
Fisher sees it differently.
"It didn’t take long for me to get my parts down," he says. "[It was] pretty stress free recording. But I wasn’t engineering."
Greenlee plays up the positives of their studio experience, saying, "We had some time constraints, and it was kind of hectic trying to get it done on time, but everyone gave their all. There were a lot of late nights with the doors closed, putting in the time."
"To write and record and produce an album, ourselves, for the first time, and to do it in five months start to finish . . . it makes me proud of everyone in this band," Gates says. "This is not the same Lorenzo Goetz as it was last year. It’s a brand new band."
The boys did have some help. Mixed by Brett Sanderson and mastered by Adam Schmitt, the album features cameos by Czar Absolute (a.k.a. Antar Jackson) and other local musicians. "Buddah" and the title track were both products of being able to be at home and to let the imagination fly, according to Gates.
"I just wanted to tell a psychedelic, dreamy story with a lot of visual imagery," he says of the title track. "I figured Jesus, elephants and androids coming through my window would work."
Wait a minute. What’s up with this whole "Jesus Elephant" thing? How did you come to put those two words together?
For the full story, we go to Jesse Greenlee.
"O.K. My name is spelled Jesse, but it’s pronounced Jess," he says. "Awhile ago, I was placing an order over the phone, and the lady on the other end kept saying ‘Jeff Greenlee, right?’ and I kept trying to correct her, but she wasn’t getting it. So finally, I got a little pissed and said ‘It’s J as in Jesus, E as in elephant, S as in snake, S as in snake, E as in elephant!’ So when I got the package," he says, sipping his wine delicately, "It was addressed to J-as-in-Jesus, E-as-in- elephant, S-as-in-snake, S-as-in-snake, E as in elephant Greenlee."
Legends have been born from less.
The songs on Jesus Elephant find Lorenzo Goetz in their usual playful mood, but this time around, Gates decided that storytelling was the most important thing, and it shows.
"Back in the day, during The Goody Patch, I was such a Michael Penn geek that I thought that I should pledge allegiance and not do anything my heroes wouldn’t do," Gates says. "But over the years my hip-hop side has become undeniable, and so if I want to throw down with a verse, I do it, and I don’t feel self-conscious about it. Whatever you need to do to tell the story."
There are plenty of stories on Jesus Elephant. Whether an epic tale of 20-something romance like "American Love Story" or a travelogue about walking downtown on a gorgeous summer day like "Slow," the Goetz machine tends to make all plot points pretty clear, and the songs are better for it. Take "Flagrante Delicto (3some)," for instance.
"That was just me being horny," Gates says as the rest of the band laughs uncontrollably. When asked about the reason for the laughter, the band proceeds to tell me that this song will be featured in an adult film, title unknown, but it’s set to star porn queen Jewel De’Nyle.
"Yeah I’m excited about it," Miethe says. "They’re going to send us copies when it’s done. Free!"
Miethe’s enthusiasm is palpable. Free adult films will do that to a man.
Back to the music.
"I have been the principle songwriter since we began," Gates allows. "But it’s never been dictatorial. Everyone is responsible for his part. On this record, we opened up the tunes a bit more and had some successful collaborations this time around."
Miethe agrees.
"Everybody has slipped into their role, and they’re playing it to the hilt. There are no power struggles or anything," he says.
It’s obvious, if you spend time in a room with this band’s members, that they have fun with each other, a dynamic that is about to be tested when they depart for their tour on November 12. It has been mentioned earlier in this article that this is a band who works, who gets into the trenches and gets sweaty, playing out of town far more than they’ve played in town for the last few months.
"So far, traveling and playing with this band has been great," Gates says. "I have never heard so much laughter as when we’re in the van together."
In a conversation the very next week, Gates gets down to brass tacks concerning the planning and execution of the tour.
"I wanted to have a professional looking package, solicit clubs, radio and stores and see what’s up," he says. "I didn’t want to do some last minute, fly-by-night kind of tour with no press, no advance warning to let people know that we are storming their town."
To avoid this, Gates laid heavy groundwork, starting this past spring, when he began to hit up message boards and the Web sites of mom-and-pop record stores throughout the east coast, building relationships and preaching the Lorenzo Goetz gospel. However, planning the tour has not been easy.
"This process has been a huge, massive mud hole to wade through," he says. "Every day something major needs my attention. Every day the potential for something large to go wrong increases. This has been the most busy I’ve ever been in my life. I get home from work and my phone immediately starts ringing. I use my cell phone so much the battery dies almost every day. But the payoff will be worth it, I think. We’re just trying to push it to the next level."
The ever elusive next level. The level that most bands are in search of, the level where all of that hard work will begin to pay off. When asked to define the mythic next level, Gates replies "more national touring, maybe a trip overseas. We’ve got healthy distribution in Japan, so going over there might become a reality sooner rather than later. Maybe securing some backing so I don’t have to be a shipping clerk anymore. (Innocent Words label mates) Terminus Victor got a Budweiser sponsorship last year, and although initially it didn’t turn out exactly like they thought it would, it put enough scratch in their pockets that they re-signed with Anheuser-Busch this year, as well. They’ve gotten to play some good shows. My old friends Johnny Socko had a beer sponsorship, as well, and it made a difference. Being realistic about this music thing is the first step, though.
Realizing that there are no sharp A&R guys who are going to beat the bushes to sign you and that you have to work hard at whatever you do is priceless. It sucks, but you don’t get anything by waiting on a sugar daddy that will never come."
A truism, no doubt. Lorenzo Goetz has taken the do-it-yourself ethic and made it work. Jesus Elephant stands as testament to the fact that hard work, perseverance and getting your music in an X-rated film are all it takes.
From: The Spectrum (Buffalo) 11.12.04
Trip Hop and Mellow Rock in a Blender
Meghan Groth - Staff Writer
When the members of Lorenzo Goetz cook up music, there is no telling what will be on the menu. Borrowing ingredients from Beck, The Beatles, Paul Simon, the Flaming Lips, Mos Def, a Tribe Called Quest, and De la Soul are the group's bread and butter.
With Larry Gates on lead vocals, Jesse Greenlee on drums, Josh Mieth on guitar, and Eric Fisher on bass, the members of Lorenzo Goetz blur the lines between funk, trip hop and mellow rock. They will be bringing their show to Merlin's bar late Saturday night to promote their new album, "Jesus Elephant."
The band was formed in Champaign, Ill., but Gates grew up in Turkey Run State Park, Ind. "There were always a ton of people who came to visit (the park), but nobody thinks about what it's like for the poor bastard who has to live there," Gates said in a phone interview.
Gates may have grown up in the middle of a forest, but his musical influences show no signs of a sheltered childhood. "In the school I was in, there were only four or five of us that gave a shit about music," Gates said. He quickly took it upon himself to open up the musical minds of his classmates.
"I was 10 years old when I discovered hip hop. I was responsible for bringing it to the backwoods rednecks at my school."
The members of Lorenzo Goetz are in the stage of developing themselves in the musical world. They have matured from the 2003 release of "Allure" to the sound of "Jesus Elephant," scheduled for release on Nov. 16.
The album serves as a mixing bowl for the members of the band. A little hip-hop, a generous helping of mellow rock, and a dash of retro make for a musical delicacy. "The last album was very schizophrenic and segregated. On the new album all the styles are there, but they've been pureed in a blender. The band has established more of a sound," Gates said.
One of the biggest progressions for the group has come in the form of a lineup change when they acquired drummer Jesse Greenlee. "We had a drummer change, and that made all the difference this summer," Gates said. "He lives, breathes, and eats music. He's constantly thinking of rhythm and he brings more of the traditional funky flavor. We've improved in every category."
As far as songwriting is concerned, Gates tries to take inspiration wherever he can get it. "I pull from everything. I try to get a balance of good fictional writing or storytelling, just plain observation, and stream of consciousness writing. I try to be disciplined about how it comes out, though, and not to use clichés," Gates said. He also confessed to imitating the styles of some of his idols in the past, but has recently thrown off the shackles. "I tried to limit myself according to the people I admired, like John Lennon and Elvis Costello. I looked at the rules they followed in their work and tried to reflect them in mine ... but this (album) has been more wide open," said Gates.
No matter how they may have changed, the focus of making music has remained on the fans. Gates and the other members of Lorenzo Goetz intend to show the crowd at Merlin's a good time on Saturday night. "I still think the best way to reach people is to go to their town and play right in front of them. It's all about building a relationship with the fans," Gates said.
He also hinted at a desire to make a commitment to fans in Buffalo. "There's no point to playing in a city if you don't intend to go back. We haven't played in Buffalo before, but I've heard really good things about the artistic community there," Gates said.
