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CANFIELD -- A light rain during opening act Rachel Platen turned into a downpour 50 minutes into Pentatonix's concert Sunday at the Canfield Fair.
About 8,000 people filled the grandstand for the concert. Earlier this week, JAC Live CEO Eric Ryan said it was the largest advance sale they had for a show since taking over entertainment at the fair.
Dr. Thomas Zarlingo of Howland bought tickets for his employees' families to see Pentatonix.
"It helps for everyone to see each other outside of work," he said. "Everyone gets along better."
He also purchased VIP tickets for the children so they could go to the meet-and-greet with the group before the show.
Riley Headley, 13, of Lordstown was part of Zarlingo's group and said she was "so excited" while they waited under the grandstand to be led backstage.
"They sang a song and we got to ask questions," Headley said.
She got her VIP pass autographed by all five members. Rylee Kelly, 16, of Springfield got her phone case signed by the a cappella group.
Zarlingo, whose office is in Boardman, said he's been a fan of the group since he first saw them on television and went to see the group live in 2018.
"I saw them last year in Pittsburgh on this same day," he said. "Their vocals are so clear, crisp and pristine; I've never heard anything like it, even the other a cappella groups.
"They obviously get paid, but you can tell they do it because they love it."
Many fans came from out of state for the Canfield show.
Anna Moore flew in from Tampa, leaving before Hurricane Dorian was scheduled to impact Florida.
"My flight back is on Tuesday so it's probably getting canceled," Moore said, adding that nothing was going to make her miss the concert.
Victoria Holda drove eight hours from Chicago to be at the show, and she was sitting next to Gabrielle Keyte, who came from Orange County, Calif.
Holda has a tattoo on her right bicep that states "happy now" and one on her left arm that states "Loved." She had Pentatonix vocalist Scott Hoying sign her bicep and Mitch Grassi sign her arm at a previous show and had it turned into the tattoos.
"They literally saved my life," Holda said. "A lot of their fans have anxiety, depression. We wouldn't be around if it wasn't for their music. They've created a safe space, especially for their LGBTQ fans."
Nickie Boles was chaperone to Deanna Varley, 15; Daniella Varley, 17; and Haylee Wolf, 11, all of Austintown. This was the Varley girls' third Pentatonix show. Boles and Haylee were seeing the group for the first time.
Deanna said she liked Pentatonix because, "They're not autotuned. Their singing is real."
"They sound exactly as they do on the CDs," Daniella added.
Emily Anzivino, 16, of North Jackson saw the group for the third time
"I watched them win (the NBC reality series) 'The Sing Off' in 2011 with my grandpa. Every time I've gotten tickets it's been a birthday gift," Anzivino said.
Her favorite concert memory was getting VIP tickets when she turned 14. The quintet sang "Happy Birthday" to her during the meet-and-greet.
Platten plays a slightly abbreviated set, talking about her post-partem depression before "You Belong," a song she wrote while pregnant.
She closed with her anthemic hit "Fight Song" with many in the crowd singing along..
Pentatonix opened with its Daft Punk medley. As an a cappella group, there were no instruments on stage but they were accompanied by a full light show, and the members -- Hoying, Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola and Matt Sallee -- executed choreographed dance moves during their version of "High Hopes" and "Sing."
agray@tribtoday.com