Straight Tequila Night
Vanguard
July 25, 2025
Tulsey Town Two-Step: '90s Country Spectacular
VFW Post 577
July 26, 2025
Before the Twin Towers fell, when “fake news” meant “Marilyn Manson’s ribs,” and the only meme was a dancing baby, pop country was king. No shade to Shaboozey, but I ain’t talkin’ his pop country. I’m talking Garth Brooks eclipsing Michael Jackson as the best-selling U.S. solo artist. I’m talking the white, teal, and purple of the “Jazz” design on Styrofoam cups leaking onto pearl snap color palettes, line dances under neon moons, and Alan Jackson (no relation) choosing grape snow cones in the name of consent on the Chattahoochee.
In a time when what counts as pleasant news is mostly reports of Elon’s bad luck, ‘90s pop country is seeing a resurgence. Those halcyon days when the lights went down in Georgia are peeking into the windows of modern acts like Midland and Lainey Wilson. Even the fashions of the time have found new homes with brands like Vinyl Ranch and Whiskey Riff, and on vintage clothing racks like Buck’s Vintage and, well, The Racks.
The ‘90s country nostalgia-gasm was in full effect last weekend in Tulsa, with two events in two nights devoted to the music of that era. Friday night saw the Vanguard hosting touring Texas ’90s country tribute band Straight Tequila Night. I (Mitch) rocked my boots, sleeveless pearl snap, Wranglers, and cowboy hat (all black, naturally), and Ollie wore a puffy, pastel, prairie-ready blouse with denim shorts and maroon boots preppin’ to step.
We walked into Vanguard in time for a rendition of The Chicks’ “Wide Open Spaces,” and the place was a cattle call of denim, white tees, ballcaps, and beer cans. “I’m getting covert MAGA vibes,” Ollie said. I wouldn’t go quite that far, but it was surely a South Tulsa night downtown. I got different vibes from the crowd: I’m not saying I’m familiar with the stuff, but I just knew I could rustle up some devil’s dandruff in a pinch.
The packed house was transfixed on the band as they tore through ’90s country classics like “The Thunder Rolls,” “Meet in the Middle,” and “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” The band was excellent, with congenial stage presence and perfect replication of the source material, but the show felt less like a honky-tonk dance night and more like a Coldplay concert where you might get Affair Cam’d. We weren’t quite sure what we expected, but we definitely didn’t expect to be the only couple dancing. Ollie is a country gal from western Oklahoma and takes every opportunity to lead me in a two-step. But after twirling and dipping her to a few more pop country classics, as the crowd stood around screaming every lyric, we packed it up and moseyed elsewhere.