Review & photos by Rachel Jablonski
“Look what’s on my beer!” I heard drummer Vince Grech yell between songs. Curiously, vocalist Brittany Bindrim approached the drum kit and soon revealed center stage the cause of the commotion. On top of a Bud Light can perched a huge praying mantis, undisturbed and hilariously entranced by the electronic rock outpouring of Chicago’s I:scintilla. Throughout the next couple of songs the praying mantis sat attentively on the beer can, observing the band’s set in reverence, until someone finally removed the mantis from the stage.
Like the praying mantis, I too watched the set in admiration. From the time I reviewed I:scintilla's album The Approach four years ago I had been awaiting the chance to see the band perform live. The opportunity had finally arisen in a most unconventional setting – a stage temporarily built on home plate of a baseball diamond at Third Base Sports Park in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Part of a three day music festival, I:scintilla filled the Saturday night second stage headlining spot. Challenging the band’s performance was the first Iowa football game of the year, a competing stage with a local favorite playing, and another festival event going on in town at the same time. As a result, the spectators were disappointingly few. However, the band was impressively favorable to their audience and performed an energetic, engaging, and professional set. 
The beautiful voice of Bindrim shined through the misty and humid evening. Her vocal tones, style, and range were just as impressive live as on disc. Both Bindrim and guitarist Jim Cookas presented a confident performance that shaped a rush of musical emotion. In his first live show as part of I:scintilla, newcomer and keyboardist Justin Pogue seemed a bit subdued, but undoubtedly viewed the experience as preparation for the band’s upcoming national tour with The Cruxshadows and Ayria beginning in September.
Most impressive, for a brief moment in the middle of a song, the power went out. I feared disaster and an abrupt stop. But I:scintilla pressed on, not skipping a beat in the most professional manner I have ever seen during a technical difficulty. The band continued to play their instruments, sing, and move about stage as if nothing had happened and when the power came on again during the chorus of “Scin”, the band was right on target.
Playing songs off their latest disc called Optics, the collective sound seemed to inspire the intimate crowd and solidly fulfilled my four year desire to see the band live. The familiar sounds in a live setting wonderfully overwhelmed my consciousness. Personal favorites like “Machine Vision”, “Ultravioletfly”, and the grand finale “Havestar” delivered and affirmed that I:scintilla is a band worth experiencing in any setting.