Wikipedia

The Vindys

The Vindys are an American pop rock[1] band based in Youngstown, Ohio. Founded in 2014 and rooted in northeast Ohio, the band expanded through the mid- to late-2010s to tour throughout the Midwest and beyond to cities including Pittsburgh, Nashville, and New York City,[2] and, in the 2020s, to the West Coast.[3]

The Vindys
The Vindys performing in 2019
The Vindys performing in 2019
Background information
OriginYoungstown, Ohio, United States
GenresRock, pop, soul, blues, jazz
Years active2014 – present
Members
  • Jackie Popovec
  • John Anthony
  • Rick Deak
  • Owen Davis
  • Brendan Burke
  • Nathan Anthony
  • Kyle O'Donnell
  • Brian Mayle
  • Garret Kuchmaner
Past members
  • Nicholas Sainato
Websitewww.thevindys.com

The current members are vocalist Jackie Popovec, guitarists John Anthony and Rick Deak, keyboardist Nathan Anthony, bassist Brendan Burke, drummer Owen Davis, saxophonist Garret Kuchmaner, trumpeter Kyle O’Donnell, and trombonist Brian Mayle, the last three known as the Youngstown Horns.[4][5]

History

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Formation and Red Wine EP

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The Vindys began in 2014[2] as a local cover band[6][7] that included guitarist John Anthony,[2] original drummer Nicholas Sainato,[8] and a singer.[9] The band's name derives from the Youngstown daily newspaper The Vindicator as a tribute to the group's hometown roots.[2]

After lead singer and songwriter Jackie Popovec joined the band in 2014, they started writing original songs—initially mostly by Popovec,[8] and later by other members as well. Their first EP, 2014's Red Wine, which was picked up by the Summit 91.3 FM radio.[5] The EP included the horn section that would later be seen as a prominent element of the band's sound. Music Connection described the music as a "vibrant slice of vintage pop theatre", while noting that the "material will have to improve".[1]

Keep Going and Bugs

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The Vindys released their first full-length album, Keep Going, in 2017.[9] Their next was a live recording, Live at Westside Bowl, recorded at that Youngstown venue in October 2019 and released in March 2021.[10]

Their second full-length studio album, Bugs, came out on July 31, 2021, after a COVID-19 pandemic delay. Ideastream described it as "fus[ing] the group's vintage jazz aesthetic with a more straightforward blues-rock sound"[2] and The Repository described it as "a record showcasing a maturing, versatile band whose musical palette encompasses everything from gritty classic rock to vintage jazz to refined pop."[11]

"Too Elfin' Cold" single, collaborations, and appearances

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The band resumed extensive touring as the pandemic receded. In 2023, while still described as a local band,[5] their song "Are You Ready" became a sports anthem on ESPN's ACC Network, heard in promotional spots, telecasts and montages for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Penguins and in ESPN's NCAA Softball Championship coverage.[12][13] Another highlight of 2023 was a pops show with the Canton Symphony Orchestra in March.[14]

In December 2023 they released the holiday single "Too Elfin' Cold – Live at Peppermint Recording Studios."[4] On the sports tip, they were booked to headline the inaugural SCAG Power Equipment PRO Superstar Shootout concert series in February 2024.[15]

The title track of Bugs is featured on the soundtrack of the 2024 horror film Last Night at Terrace Lanes,[16] and the video, directed by Peter-John Campbell, was selected as a featured short at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.[17] The band collaborated with the Worthington Chamber Orchestra in November 2023,[18] and another orchestral collaboration was scheduled for April 2024 with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra.[19] A new album is projected to be released in late spring 2024.[20]

Discography

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Title Year Type
Red Wine (EP) 2014 EP
Keep Going 2017 Studio album
"Wrong With Me / Sweet Child 'O Mine (Live at the Westside Bowl)" 2021 Single
Live at Westside Bowl 2021 Live album
"Morning Light" 2021 Single
"Bugs" 2021 Single
Bugs 2021 Studio album
"Too Elfin’ Cold – Live at Peppermint Recording Studios." 2023 Single

References

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  1. ^ a b "NEW MUSIC CRITIQUE: THE VINDYS". Music Connection. January 29, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Amanda Rabinowitz; Brittany Nader (April 7, 2022). "The Vindys strengthen their hometown roots while branching out beyond Youngstown". ideastream.org. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Vindys Play The West Coast For The First Time!". New Music Weekly. July 1, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "The Vindys' New Holiday Song Salutes Peppermint Studios". businessjournaldaily.com. November 28, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c John Ostapowicz (April 20, 2023). "The Valley's own Vindys". The Jambar. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  6. ^ Annie Nickoloff (July 30, 2021). "Youngstown rock band The Vindys to release much-anticipated second album 'Bugs'". Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  7. ^ Guy D'Astolfo (August 1, 2021). "The Vindys Hit Next Level With New Album". Business Journal Daily. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  8. ^ a b janemcanallen (October 4, 2015). "INTERVIEW WITH THE VINDYS'S JOHN ANTHONY". Pop Punk Dot Pizza. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Rocco Falleti (March 22, 2019). "Keep Going: Exclusive interview w/ Jackie Popovec of The Vindys". City Scene Columbus. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  10. ^ Ed Balint (March 25, 2021). "Vindys live album captures power and essence of Northeast Ohio band". cantonrep.com. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  11. ^ Ed Balint (December 30, 2021). "Best music of 2021: The Vindys, Mammoth WVH, The Shootouts, Dirty Honey, Buffalo Ryders". cantonrep.com. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Stan Boney (March 23, 2023). "Local band's song reaches sports anthem status on ESPN's ACC network". WKBN. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  13. ^ "SRU professor and alumnus rocks the Tribeca Film Festival as a guitarist with The Vindys". sru.edu. June 13, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  14. ^ Ed Balint (March 18, 2023). "What to know about The Vindys and Canton Symphony pops show: Big, loud, 'over the edge'". cantonrep.com. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  15. ^ BVM Sportsdesk (January 17, 2024). "The Vindys to Rock the PRO Superstar Shootout Concert Series with Their Dynamic Sound". bvmsports.com. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  16. ^ Jeff Niesel (January 9, 2024). "Upcoming Horror Film Soundtrack Features Ohio-Based Acts". Cleveland Scene. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  17. ^ "'TRIBECA AT HOME' RETURNS WITH WIDE SELECTION OF FILMS FROM 2023 TRIBECA FESTIVAL" (Press release). New York, NY: Tribeca Film Festival. June 17, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  18. ^ Chris Pugh (November 2, 2024). "The Vindys to play with Worthington Chamber Orchestra in Columbus on Monday". Mahoning Matters. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  19. ^ "THE VINDYS MEET YOUR YOUNGSTOWN SYMPHONY". youngstownsymphony.com. April 26, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  20. ^ Andy Gray (November 30, 2023). "Gray Areas: Listeners will relate to Vindys' 'Too Elfin' Cold'". The Vindicator. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
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