YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Vindys are at a rarified point in their career, one that few rock bands reach.
From their Youngstown base, the act has built a following that covers northeastern Ohio and extends to Columbus and Pittsburgh.
They’re more determined than ever to reach the next level of success, but they know that getting there will be tricky.
The core of the band launched 10 years ago is singer/songwriter Jackie Popovec and guitarists John Anthony and Rick Deak. The full lineup includes Owen Davis, drums; Brendan Burke, bass; Nathan Anthony, keyboards; Kyle O’Donnell, trumpet; Brian Mayle, trombone; and Garret Kuchmaner, saxophone.
The act has a big-city sound and stage presence – defined by Popovec’s huge vocals, scorching guitars, and a signature horn section – that creates instant fans.
But the rungs on the ladder of success grow farther apart as one climbs higher. Reaching the top requires a commitment to the grind – and maybe a smile from the rock gods.
“There are a lot of people who’ve asked, ‘Why haven’t you hit it big yet?’” Popovec says. “And there are a lot who think we are very successful.”
She is confident that their efforts will eventually pay off. “All of the good stuff will come,” she says.
The Vindys have thus far seized every opportunity that has come their way. But now they want to make those opportunities happen.
Popovec says she’s done waiting for someone to come along and guide the band to the promised land. “I can’t wait for someone to call us anymore,” she says.
They’ve got a plan to reach their goals.
The band is currently recording a series of singles that will be released next year, starting with “Electric.” The band is working with Michael Estok and his Court Street Recording Co. in Canfield to lay down the new songs.
“We will record now through January or February,” Popovec says. “Then we will release a single in March and then another one every month afterward.”
At some point there will be a new album, although Popovec can’t say when. “When it’s ready, it’s ready,” she says.
The plan also calls for expanding into new markets.
“Indianapolis is calling our name,” Popovec says, noting they’ve played that city several times to very receptive audiences. “People were lined up by the hundreds at the merch table every night,” she says.
Detroit, Toledo and Chicago are also on their list.
“We also need to get back to Jersey and some Pennsylvania cities,” Popovec says. “Denver was insane. They loved us.”
The Vindys regularly pack venues in their primary markets – Youngstown, Cleveland, Akron and Canton. They’re putting the proceeds from those shows into a war chest to fund forays into outlying states and expand their footprint.
“That is our grassroots marketing plan, and it works for us,” Popovec says. “What we are doing in Ohio has to be created all over the country.”
It has been a wildly successful year for The Vindys. But the band remains unsigned to a record label.
That means booking shows, arranging travel, publicizing each show and other logistical functions fall to Popovec.
The Vindys took a huge step forward in 2021 when they released their sophomore album, “Bugs.” The album exceeded all expectations and proved they were a force to be reckoned with.
The band has since played at rock festivals and with symphony orchestras. Their song “Are You Ready” has been used in several professional and collegiate sporting events and broadcasts.
The band also opened for major artists, including ZZ Top. Most notably, it was the opening act for Pat Benatar’s U.S. tour this summer.
Benatar first became aware of The Vindys when the band opened a show for her in 2023. The rock hall of famer was so impressed that she wanted the band for her 2024 tour.
“She singlehandedly picked up my motivation,” says Popovec. “People in the industry know us now.”
LOOKING AHEAD
While the game plan for 2025 is aggressive, it also reflects lessons learned in the past.
“Every year I set goals for what we want to do, but they’ve been sort of derailed ever since we put out our last album,” Popovec says. The band finished the album in 2020 but waited until 2021 to release it so they could play shows to promote it.
“I think it was the right decision, but when we got back out there in 2021, we were already playing newer songs that we wrote for our next album,” she says.
In 2022, the band’s goal was to expand its fanbase instead of playing in the same circles. The band did a self-funded West Coast tour that included a showcase performance in Los Angeles for an audience that included music journalists and record label A&R representatives. About a half-dozen or so club shows were also part of that trip.
It seemed like a wise move at the time. But in hindsight, it really wasn’t.
“When I look back on it, I think we were nuts for doing that,” Popovec says. “We haven’t been back there since. So no one is going to remember us. The market is so fleeting.”
For 2023, the band’s strategy involved a shift in its musical approach.
“We decided to write more pop singles to meet this music festival demand that we were seeing,” Popovec says. “It was so much fun to see people dancing to our music. A lot of our songs weren’t dancey up until then.”
Songwriting wasn’t the only thing the band explored that year. Popovec wanted to change its plan of attack on releasing its music, although that idea didn’t pan out.
“My first thought was to find a big-name producer who could pull us out of the [rut] of just releasing and releasing and being stuck on a plateau,” she says. “We reached out to people, but we were just chasing our tails. Who was the right person? Do they have the time for us? There were people interested, but we would have to be in LA or Nashville or New York for two or three weeks. With everyone in the band having day jobs, I’m not in a position to say, ‘hey everybody, let’s just up and leave.’ It wasn’t practical. It wasn’t fitting.”
HEALTH SCARE
A much more serious issue arose later that year, as guitarist Rick Deak had to again battle lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.
He underwent chemotherapy and eventually emerged with a clean bill of health. But it was a scare.
“My head was shaved for some shows, but I only missed one show,” Deak says.
His ordeal actually started in 2022 when he went to the emergency room because he started getting very tired and short of breath.
“I was jaundiced, and my hemoglobin levels were super low,” he says. “I was diagnosed with lymphoma and put on monoclonal antibodies and steroids. I gained 20 pounds from the steroids, but it eradicated the cancer.”
The problem returned in August of 2023. He was put on a chemotherapy regimen in October, receiving injections every three weeks until January.
A PET scan in July showed that he was totally clear of cancer.
“I wouldn’t have been able to go out on the tour [with Pat Benatar] otherwise,” he says.
The first round of chemotherapy left him feeling terrible, but the effects sharply diminished for ensuing rounds. “It was the worst feeling imaginable, but after a while I was fine after each treatment,” he says.
He also learned what was causing the lymphoma. Deak had been taking the prescription drug Humira as a treatment for psoriasis. A possible side effect of Humira is cancer, and that’s what happened to him.
He no longer takes the drug.
Deak has returned to full health; his hair has grown back, and he has resumed his rock career with no limitations.
But the scare threw a sense of urgency into the band, bringing its members closer together and stoking their hunger for more success.
“It shifted my whole view of this band,” Popovec says. Realizing that the future is unpredictable, she took the bull by the horns.
“I thought, ‘Why am I just waiting for someone to come and save this band?’ I’m not going to wait for the right time, or for a producer,” she says. “If Rick’s up to it, let’s get in the studio and stop waiting for a record label [to contact us]. Good things will happen if we do.”
That mindset also influenced the shift to prioritizing singles instead of albums.
“Everyone else is doing it – writing singles until they have enough for an album,” she says.
The strategy quickly paid dividends.
“We got more traction from the single ‘Elton Glasses Baby’ than from the [last] album,” she says. The song reached No. 84 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart.
Releasing “Elton Glasses Baby” also gave the band some fresh product to promote while on tour with Benatar.
IT’S A BUSINESS
Running a band is like being the CEO of a business: Decisions are based not only on what’s best for the company, but also the co-workers.
The Vindys’ shift in outlook and intensity had to be embraced by the whole band, and that’s what happened. “We have to do it now,” Popovec explains. “You never know what is going to happen.”
The band’s camaraderie is at an all-time high, Popovec says, and that’s a key to getting through the highs and lows of a fickle industry.
“Everyone has a piece in this, and not just the band members,” Popovec says. “I have another 10 people that I work with beyond those who are on stage. It’s a beautiful thing.”
To move the needle, the band will hire a publicist as needed, book its own gigs and tours, and oversee record distribution. Those duties – typically handled by a record label – add to Popovec’s workload and make for some long days. “Sometimes I feel like I can never do enough,” she says.
The dynamics of the music industry favors record companies more than new talent. And a business landscape that’s based on concert revenue but measured by streams can be hard to navigate.
“People have no idea what to do in this industry right now,” Popovec says. “It’s such a different world, with ticketing, with monopolies, with venues. It’s a weird time. We’re just trying to ride the wave and do all we can do.”
She would like to see the band signed to a label but knows even that has a downside. The label will take a cut of its revenues and maybe a measure of control. In exchange, it offers a chance to reach a much wider audience.
“It’s like taking out a big loan,” Popovec says.
While the band has challenges in its path, they are good problems. Mahoning Valley rock bands rarely reach the level where The Vindys are now.
Amazingly, one of the last Valley bands to reach this height also included a member of The Vindys.
About 20 years ago, Sin-O-Matic – which included guitarist Deak – was signed to Atlantic Records and released a powerful debut album. The act opened concerts for the likes of Alice Cooper, Buckcherry, Todd Rundgren and Creed before fizzling out.
Unfortunately, Deak says most of the knowledge he gained from Sin-O-Matic’s ascent no longer applies.
“The rules have changed,” he says of the pop music business.
UPCOMING SHOWS
The Vindys have only a few shows on their schedule at this time.
First up is a hometown show at West Side Bowl in Youngstown on Nov. 16, with opening acts Anya Van Rose and Ben Mulwana. Tickets are $15 and available at WestSideBowl.com.
The band will finish the year with a Dec. 28 concert at House of Blues in Cleveland.
Popovec, Anthony, Deak and friends will also do a Jeff Buckley tribute show at Musica in Akron on Nov. 29. It will reprise a similar show they did last year at Cedars West End in Youngstown.
Pictured at top: Jackie Popovec performs during a 2023 Vindys concert at West Side Bowl in Youngstown. Photo by Stephanie Sheronovich.