G-Fest: It’s music to your ears

The Gilroy Garlic Festival satisfies garlic lovers’ appetites with the Gourmet Alley and beer gardens.
But the garlicky extravaganza is no one-trick pony. It also quenches attendees’ thirst for first-rate entertainment.
Featuring salsa, blues, country and rock, more than 70 hours of musical entertainment and performances from 48 bands entertained thousands over the three-day annual gourmet event.
Many of the artists featured at the festival are on the verge of mainstream success, according to Kirsten Carr, entertainment chairperson of the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association.
“Our country acts are usually on the cusp of success, such as Rascal Flatts who performed at the Garlic Festival (in 2000),” she said. “But we don’t focus on big names.”
One such up-and-coming artist is 27-year-old country musician and Mississippi native Charlie Worsham who promoted his single “Could it Be” and entertained the hundreds of listeners packing the Vineyard stage Saturday.
KRTY, San Jose’s “Hot Country” radio station, brought Worsham and fellow country music artist 24-year-old Austin Webb to perform during the stage’s country-themed day, which KRTY has sponsored since 1990, KRTY Program Director Julie Stevens said.
“We’re really lucky to have Webb and Worsham,” Stevens said. “They’re going to make it big.”
Worsham said he loved his first visit to Gilroy.
“I’ve got an affinity for California to begin with. I love the people, I love the sunshine,” Worsham said about his first appearance at the Garlic Festival, adding that he undoubtedly wants to return. “We are really going to take our time and enjoy the area. I’ll be back in these parts soon.”
The young country artist’s musical roots stem from his musical childhood.
“I grew up listening to Vince Gill and Marty Stuart, my heroes in country music, and I took piano lessons in kindergarten,” he said. “It all snowballed from there.”
His single, “Could it Be”, ranked in Country Countdown USA’s top 30 list on Saturday and Sunday. Worsham said he appreciates the country music community’s support.
“Country radio across the county has been really good to me, my single ‘Could it be’ is doing really well right now,” he said.
Worsham’s 1:30 p.m. performance attracted to the Vineyard stage droves of country music fans who danced, sang, and unwound on hay bales.
Country music fan, 19-year-old Adrianna Castellanos of San Jose, said she was ecstatic to see Worsham and Webb perform live.
“I’ve heard them on KRTY but I haven’t ever seen them live,” she said. “It’s hard to say why, but I really like them.”
Worsham’s upcoming album Rubberband is set for release Aug. 20 on iTunes and on charlieworsham.com.
Many locals musicians also come to the Garlic Festival for the festivities and good exposure.
Lucas Ohio Pattie, the 29-year-old and four-time Garlic Festival performer whose grandparents live in Gilroy, debuted his third album, Slingshot Kid, to the South County Friday.
“At this point, it’s just about getting my name out there. I had an amazing turnout and a high retention rate of fans from last year,” he said. “The venue was really nice. I felt on par with the audience and the shade also helped.”
Pattie’s performance with The Shamblers musicians John Howland, Andrew Gibson and Mike Stevens on the Gazebo Stage was well received by audience members, such as Seattle residents Tamara Kent, 43, and Jeff Kraft, 49, who – despite never hearing the band or attending the festival before – said they liked Pattie so much they bought a Slingshot Kid album.
“He reminds me a lot of Dave Matthews Band,” Kraft said. “I really like his sound. I could definitely see him playing in a smoky little bar somewhere. I really want to go to one of his shows sometime.”
Pattie’s albums are available for download on iTunes and on lucasohiopattie.com
Musical entertainment was not limited to adults or English.
At the Children’s stage, Belmonte-based Spanish music singer and salsa dancer, 8-year-old Daniel Ordonez charmed his audience with his charismatic stage presence and smooth lyrics.
Ordonez’s routine included dancing segments with background dancing from his mother Bambi Ordonez, 35, and 50-year old Dina Medina of Vieques, Puerto Rico.
Bambi said Daniel will perform Monday for “El Factor X” – the Latin version of FOX’s “The X Factor,” on channel 38 of MundoFOX.
“He has been performing for three years. He started singing before he was talking,” she said proudly. “I am very happy for him.”
Bambi said her own background in salsa and professional dancing influenced Daniel’s performance career.
When it comes to the performances, however, “he leads and I follow,” smiled Bambi.