Youngstown rockers The Vindys have been hot news in northeast Ohio for while now. The group, fronted by charismatic singer/guitarist/lyricist Jackie Popovec, debuted ten years ago and woodshedded for a few years in obscurity before their reputation in northeast Ohio started to snowball and expand beyond the area. Popovec is the band’s main attraction, with a powerful yet nuanced style that recalls classic R&B vocalists such as Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner. But she’s well supported by a hard-rocking band that features led John Anthony and Rick Deak on guitars and harmony vocals.

The Vindys are not newcomers to the world of rock n' roll; they're not veterans yet either and the nice thing about the band is that they have not fallen into the trap that ensnares many of the acts today; they've got a touch of an old school mentality in their approach.

Youngstown’s The Vindys start its cross-country tour on Saturday with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, but there’s still an opportunity to see the band close-ish this summer.

Oh, they’re so fabulous (The Vindys), They’ve opened for us a few times, sporadically. I love them, and I love (frontwoman Jackie Popovec). She’s amazing. Sometimes I’m worried about putting her on first. I’m like, “(Expletive) — that girl can sing her ass off.” But it helps me sing my ass off, so I’m good. But they’re great kids and wonderful. We just said, “We can pick anybody we want — let’s pick them.” We’re happy they’re with us.

The room right next to Jackie Popovec’s kitchen is supposed to be the dining room. But with guitars on the wall, other instruments and amps scattered about and freshly arrived merch nearby, the singer of The Vindys just laughs off the room’s transition.

In less than a month, Youngstown, Ohio, band The Vindys will be on tour with rocker Pat Benatar and her husband/guitarist Neil Geraldo, traveling across the nation.

Having played New Brighton in 2017, The Vindys have enjoyed much regional success.

All the way from Ohio, The Vindys are in the house with their unique blend of pop, soul, and rock. You can catch them live on Friday at 3TEN Austin City Limits Live and Saturday at Empire Control Room & Garage.

Some artists are synonymous with a city; Detroit has Eminem, Boston–Aerosmith, New Jersey–Springsteen and now, Youngstown, Ohio has The Vindys.

They didn’t want to answer the phone. Jackie Popovec, the big-voiced frontwoman of The Vindys, was on vacation in Italy with boyfriend Rick Deak — a guitarist in the Youngstown-based alt-rock act — when his phone lit up during dinner at a nice restaurant. The phone said the call was coming from Beverly Hills, so they were too intrigued to not answer.

Friday’s concert with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra at Powers Auditorium was scheduled months before that tour was announced, but the performance doubled as a fitting send off for the band as a large crowd of longtime fans and some newcomers cheered on the hometown favorites.

Two Youngstown music favorites, The Vindys and the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, collaborated to wow a large crowd Friday night at DeYor Performing Arts Center inside Powers Auditorium with an impressive mix of rock and roll and classical music.

The Youngstown Symphony ended its season Friday with a mix of rock-n-roll joined onstage by the Vindys.

The Vindys lead singer Jackie Popovec talks about the band’s upcoming concert on Friday with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, the band’s upcoming tour with Pat Benatar, a new single being recorded and her upcoming performance in a New York stage musical.

As an aspiring musician growing up in Youngstown, there were two things The Vindys guitarist Rick Deak always wanted to do — play with a symphony orchestra and play at iconic Powers Auditorium.

He gets to do both on Friday as the band will perform a show with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra at the DeYor Performing Arts Center inside Powers Auditorium.

ackie Popovec of the Youngstown-based rock band The Vindys will appear in a musical theater production in New York City later this month.

Popovec will perform the role of beatnik singer-songwriter Carolyn Hester in “Gaslight Café: The John Mitchell Story.” The show will be performed at 9 p.m. April 27 and 2 p.m. April 28 at The Cutting Room cabaret theater.

Vindys lead singer Jackie Popovec has a lot on her plate at the end of this month.

First is a date with her hometown Youngstown Symphony April 26.

Then, as she announced Thursday on her Facebook page, it’s off to New York City the next day where she will take part in “Gas Light Cafe: The John Mitchell Story” at The Cutting Room on April 27 and April 28.

The Vindys will get bigger and smaller in the coming months.

On April 26 the Youngstown band will perform with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra for a pops concert at Powers Auditorium.

Earlier this week the band announced that a streamlined lineup will open for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo on a cross-country trek in July and August featuring at least 16 concerts.