As you’ve certainly heard by now, beloved Oklahoma City restaurant by day/live music club by night VZD’s — which closed its swinging doors last fall — will reopen with new management this spring. Whether that’s a good or bad thing isn’t quite so clear. Under most circumstances, the resurrection of a historic Oklahoma restaurant/bar/music venue would be cause for celebration. Yet the news of its tentative reopening was met with ardent opposition from local traditionalists and loyal live-music devotees alike.
Not that anyone wanted the esteemed Western Avenue hangout burned to the ground or anything — quite the contrary. But the new ownership announced a truckload of drastic and controversial changes, including a posh new menu and, more contentiously, the gutting of its live music stage, and people on the internet did what people on the internet do: They got mad. Yes, the removal of its stage effectively ends VZD’s run as a de facto venue option for anyone other than acoustic-strumming dudebros, and that is an awful, awful thing. But before we get too up in arms, judgment on its new direction ought to be withheld until full implementation.
Some were alarmed — justifiably — by the comments made by VZD’s new head chef and co-owner Eric Smith (formerly of local eateries like Urban Johnnie and Pachinko Parlor), in which he described his menu as having “a gourmet Sloppy Joe and stuff like that.” I don’t even know what to make of that, to be honest. I would have much preferred a good new Mexican food joint, of which there are surprisingly few around these parts (north of downtown, anyway). But as long as it isn’t too overpriced, trendy, or up its own ass with the whole “culinary artistry” claptrap, I’m willing to give this new incarnation a reasonable shot.
The music aspect is where things get complicated. The death of a live venue is never a good thing, especially one that occasionally booked touring acts in a scene that has struggled to book touring acts of late. But let’s be honest: While VZD’s always had the audience and potential to be a cornerstone of the Oklahoma music scene, its booking prowess had been slipping recently. Thankfully, other destinations have picked up and will continue to pick up the slack in that department. With a host of new venues slated to open here in the next year or so, plus the myriad smaller spaces that have recently popped up, the likelihood of touring acts coming through town will largely be unaffected by VZD’s newfound apathy toward live music. It’s not like demand for the things VZD’s came to be known for is in decline, so any sort of change ought not be perceived as a referendum. Yeah, as a matter of history and nostalgia, it definitely stings. But as a matter of preserving the reputation of the Oklahoma music scene, any adverse effects will be minimal.
Here’s what I’m certain of, though: To avoid putting the legacy of VZD’s in any sort of jeopardy, its new ownership absolutely must change the name. Because if this ship does sink, the VZD’s brand is going down with it. And any mess left in its wake would be far more disastrous than a gourmet Sloppy Joe.
