Photos and article by Kyle Brown
Edited by Erica McNatt
Rock N Rollin into Toledo, OH, on Wednesday night was ZZ Top and The Vindys. Fans of all ages packed the Stranahan Theater for what was guaranteed to be a memorable show.
Pop rock band The Vindys came onto the stage with an arsenal of firepower. The group is made up of Jackie Popovic (vocals, guitar), John Anthony (guitar, harmony vocals), Rick Deak (guitar), Owen Davis (drums), Brendan Burke (bassist), Nathan Anthony (keyboard), Kyle O’Donnell (trumpet), Brian Mayle (trombone), and Garret Kuchmaner (saxophone). Founded in 2014, the band from Youngstown, OH, said this was their first stop ever in Toledo.
With such a small space to move around in, lead singer Popovic made the best of what she had, and she did it thrillingly. Using her voice to guide her with soaring high notes, Popovic maneuvered her way around the stage like she owned it as the brass and other instruments backed her.
Even with the strong vocals, Popovic allowed her bandmates to shine as well, giving them ample opportunities with solos during each song. The set ended with a rendition of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” over which the crowd went nuts. Popovic would sing half of the song and then went to the side to allow her bandmates to play the rest of the song instrumentally.
Almost immediately after The Vindys set, a countdown came over the speaker system, telling the crowd how long until ZZ Top came out. It began at 30 minutes and gave updates after every five minutes. After the countdown came to a close, ZZ Top’s drummer, Frank Beard, made his way to the stage to a loud applause, and soon after came Billy Gibbons and Elwood Francis. Francis has been a part of the band since 2021 after Dusty Hill’s passing that same year.
ZZ Top has been around for over five decades, which led to a lot of speculation throughout the crowd as to what would be played and in what order. What fans quickly found out was that the setlist spanned all of those 50 years. From the first album to the latest, plus a few cover songs, the song selection was phenomenally chosen.
Being around for 50 years, the band members were obviously not able to move around like rock stars, but they made up for it with synchronized moves, letting the crowd sing certain chorus parts, letting a crowd member play a chord, being legends on the guitars, and being showman in general. I, for one, couldn’t take my eyes off the stage.
During the set, around the 10th song, Gibbons brought out a guitar that was initially described as a “special guitar.” Gibbons went on to say that the guitar was owned by the late Jeff Beck. The band played a cover of Merle Travis’s “Sixteen Tons” with the guitar.
Crowd favorites “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs” were played before a three-song encore and outfit change. “La Grange” ended the night, which couldn’t have been a better way to end it. The guitar sections of that song make it so catchy and easy to go off on a high note. It also allowed Gibbons and Francis to have a bit more fun and spin around the stage, getting the crowd into it one last time. A small pause to get the crowd cheering and the on-stage shanagains began again with a bolstering “hell yeah!” from Gibbons. The trio left the stage with bubble machines blowing and one final remark of, “Are you having fun, Ohio?!”
The night was spectacular in every aspect. From all the members of The Vindys to ZZ Top’s stage setup and everything in between, this was a night that everyone in attendance will not soon forget. If you ever get the chance to see either band—on this tour or otherwise—I highly recommend it.
