For the Youngstown, Ohio, band the Vindys, taking a gig in the Pittsburgh International Airport helped them take off after the Covid pandemic.

The pandemic in 2020 was a difficult time for all bands, but especially smaller bands like the Vindys. While the band could have lost momentum, especially after their drummer and bass player left, they came back stronger by just saying “yes.”

This meant taking up unusual performance offers, like the gig in the airport for Spirit Airline’s inaugural flight from Austin to Pittsburgh, as well as an acoustic set on the back of an El Camino. But taking on these performances was crucial for their success.

“Instead of maybe falling off like a lot of bands did during Covid, what happened was that we came back with a vengeance because we were saying yes to everything,” singer Jackie Popovec said.

The band’s name is derived from the Youngstown newspaper, The Vindicator, and is a tribute to their hometown. 

The band met and formed in Youngstown, where the majority of members attended college at Youngstown State University’s Dana School of Music. Their music eventually began being played on an Akron radio station, so when the Vindys played their first show in Akron, some people in the audience knew their songs.

“When people start singing your songs out in the crowd … that’s when you know, ‘OK, we’re getting somewhere,’ ” Popovec said.

The Vindys have been making a name for themselves by touring nationally. 

“Our markets are usually in Ohio and Pennsylvania, but to go out there and re-create those markets in different states is very important,” Popovec said. 

The Vindys joined Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo on their summer tour in 2024 and their spring tour in 2025. While being the opener may have been intimidating at first, it was a positive experience for the band.

“The whole rule of thumb for us was to just stay out of everyone’s way, be easygoing, get our stuff on and off the stage as quickly as possible – no fuss,” Popovec said. “After we showed up in a really professional way, everything eased up with the headlining act, and now I call them our road family.”

Making repeat visits to cities is one way for a rising band to increase its fanbase. The Vindys have played at the Thunderbird Music Hall in Pittsburgh twice, in June 2024 and March 2025.

Kelsey Schira, event manager for the Thunderbird, said the Vindys put on great performances both times.

“Jackie’s voice is strong and she brings great stage presence. The band captivates and almost hypnotizes their crowd,” Schira said. “Everyone is dancing, twirling, or at the very least bopping their heads, and we can always consider it a great show when our staff is also dancing along while working.”

But being a rising band is not easy financially. There are many costs to cover while touring, like vans, hotels, gas, and food. Selling merchandise while on tour has proved to be helpful for such bands.

“That goes a long way in these times because people are not buying music,” Popovec said.

While Popovec started off doing many of the small jobs for the band, they have since been able to hire more people to help, including someone who handles merchandise sales. Popovec also has been able to quit her part-time jobs and focus on the band full time.

But oftentimes, members of rising bands still have to work other jobs. This is the case for guitarist John Anthony, who is a teacher.

“My job is a little bit flexible especially in the summer, which is when we do a lot of our heavy touring,” Anthony said. 

The Vindys’ music ranges from pop to rock to jazz to country. 

“I always get bored of doing one thing,” Popovec said.

They are always up for trying something new with their music, which has allowed them to create a diverse discography.

“The band is so talented behind us that they can do all of these things,” Anthony said. “So if we’re in the mood to try something new or dive into a different world, we can.”

On Spotify, the Vindys’ most popular song is “Classic” with 122,803 listens. Their most recent album, Bugs, was released in 2021. Their current discography is made up of two albums, one EP, and a handful of singles.

Reviewers have made note of the diversity in the Vindys’ music.

In a review of the album Bugs, Chalked Up Reviews, said “Bugs plunges into the realm of hard rock while still highlighting Popovec’s captivating vocals. The 10-track project features previously released singles, including the bluesy ‘If I Want’ and ‘Want Your Heart,’ the rocking ‘Are You Ready,’ and the tender ‘Morning Light.’ ”

The songwriting process looks different for each song, but it is always a team effort.

“I’ll come up with a chord, ideas, melodies, structure and then bring it to the guys, who really take it home,” Popovec said. 

The Vindys are not big on making plans for the future, especially since great opportunities can come so unexpectedly.

“The best things that have ever happened to us were last-minute calls,” Popovec said.

Despite not having a detailed future plan, the Vindys are currently working on a new album.

“The way that we’ve always done this is to keep our heads down and to just keep doing the work,” Popovec said.