WARREN – Jerry DePizzo Sr. said his son had a gift.

“He could pick up an instrument in a very short time and he could master it,” he said.

Still, the father was worried about his son becoming a professional musician.

“I wondered how he was going to make a living and be able to eat,” he said. “Well, he’s eating pretty well now.”

The son, Jerry DePizzo, a 1997 Liberty High School graduate, plays saxophone for O.A.R., which played for about 1,400 people Thursday at Packard Music Hall.

His mother, Marie DeCapua Ihnat, also was at the concert.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “All of the family is here.”

Mom said before the concert that she was hoping to hear “Hey Girl” and “Two Hands Up,” and on this tour the band was letting fans pick the set list.

“Hey Girl” also is the favorite song of Dana Higgins of Champion, who was front and center in the general admission pit. It was her fifth time seeing O.A.R., which includes Marc Roberge, guitar and lead vocals; Richard On, guitar; Benj Gershman, bass; Chris Culos, drums; and DePizzo. It was the first time for her fiancee, Chad DiBell of Bazetta.

“They get the crowd the going,” Higgins said. “There is a lot a audience participation.”

Next to them was Erin Miller of Garrettsville and Jason Law of Howland. They dated when they were both students at Kent State University in the early 2000s and bonded over their affection for bands like O.A.R. and Red Wanting Blue.

“We broke up, I got married and had a baby,” Miller said. After her divorce, “We reunited at the Warren Community Amphitheatre. Now we’re going to shows again like we’re college kids.”

They ran into the sax player before the concert when he was having dinner with his family at Sunrise Inn.

“We couldn’t believe it,” Law said, as he showed off the photo on his phone.

Miller said she likes O.A.R.’s music because, “They can tell a story without it being a cliche.”

Law said this was his ninth time seeing O.A.R., and Packard may be the smallest venue where he’s seen the band, which has sold out Madison Square Garden in New York and regularly plays 4,000-5,000 seat venues in Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

“I was shocked that Packard was able to get them,” Law said.

DePizzo’s father, who lives in Poland, said, “We’re just so excited Packard Music Hall extended the invitation to the band.”

DePizzo played the first note of the night, doing the opening guitar riff to “Love and Memories,” and he switched between guitar and saxophone throughout the set.

The band didn’t pause between songs until 45 minutes into the show as Roberge told the crowd, “We always say we were born in Maryland and raised in Ohio, but one of us was born in Ohio.”

DePizzo met the other band members when they all were students at The Ohio State University, and the introduction was followed by the song “Road Outside Columbus.”

agray@tribtoday.com