Staff photo / Andy Gray Concertgoers line up at one of the entrances for Friday’s YLIVE concert at Wean Park. John Mayer headlined Friday’s concert. Tim McGraw will headline Saturday’s show.

YOUNGSTOWN — Perfect weather greeted the first of two YLIVE concerts this weekend at Wean Park.

The sun was shining and temperatures were still in the 70s as concertgoers entered the park Friday for a lineup featuring John Mayer, Charles Kelley from the band Lady A and regional act The Clarks.

“For late September, we couldn’t be happier about the weather,” said Ken Bigley, COO of JAC Live, the concert’s promoter.

They’ll do it all again Saturday with a second concert featuring country acts Tim McGraw, The Band Perry and Chase McDaniel.

Mayer toured earlier this year as a member of Dead & Company, but the seven-time Grammy winner is only playing a few dates in 2025 featuring his own music, which made the show a draw far beyond northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

Brandon Rouer and Katie Holmes came all the way from Port St. Lucie, Florida, to see Mayer. They had to do it. Two months ago, Rouer used Mayer’s song “XO” when he proposed to Holmes.

“He (Mayer) sings so many songs about breakups and different stages of life,” Holmes said. “He only has a few songs about the joys of love, and it’s so beautiful.”

“So I did good?,” Rouer asked.

Holmes sent an email to Mayer’s record company requesting that he play “XO” in Youngstown, but she didn’t get a response. Holmes is the one who made the arrangements to come to YLIVE, and when she saw that Tim McGraw was playing the following night, they booked an Airbnb in Lordstown and decided to make a weekend out of it.

“If we’re going to be there, it’s natural to stay the second night,” Rouer said.

“They’re both such good artists,” Holmes said.

When told the couple’s story, Bigley said, “That’s exactly what we had in mind (in expanding to two nights).”

The couple was enjoying Penguin City Brewing before the show and asking about other craft breweries and attractions in the area to visit.

“It’s got a nice, cozy, hometown feel here,” Holmes said.

Mike Semchee and Emily Whalen have traveled many places to see Dead & Company, and both were wearing tie-dyed Dead & Company T-shirts. Semchee estimated they’d seen the Grateful Dead offshoot about 20 times and Mayer on his own several times.

“I was a John Mayer fan first (before he joined Dead & Company),” Semchee said. “Mayer with the Dead is the perfect combination.”

Rodd Meyer of Howland was attending his third YLIVE concert. He works in business development for SERVPRO, one of the concert’s sponsors.

“It’s a great event that brings the community together, and I expect tonight to be nothing different,” Meyer said.

Friday’s concert reunited three generations of the Slater family. Jason Slater, who now lives in Barberton, was at the show with his father, Jeff Slater of Hubbard, and his son, Liam Slater, who is stationed in Alaska with the U.S. Air Force.

“John and I are the same age,” Jason Slater said. “I’ve been following his music since college. He’s one of the best guitar players of our time. He’s definitely the best of my generation. When Eric Clapton asks for you to play at his birthday party, that has to tell you something.”

His wife gave up her ticket to their son, who is home on leave, before she learned Pittsburgh’s The Clarks were the opening act.

“They were her favorite band in college,” Jason Slater said. “At least I got her a T-shirt.”

Tickets still are available starting at $75 for McGraw, which starts at 7 p.m.