Austin, Texas has a reputation for being the “Live Music Capital of the World.” To a large degree, the city owes that reputation to Armadillo World Headquarters, a landmark venue that existed as a meeting place for music lovers from all walks of life throughout the 1970s. On January 1, 1981, the venue closed its doors forever. Now, more than 40 years later, the Armadillo is rising like a shelled phoenix from the ashes. This time, though, it isn’t a venue. Instead, it’s a lifestyle brand that embodies the spirit of the legendary music hall.
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The lifestyle brand built around the spirit of the Armadillo World Headquarters will offer retro-inspired merchandise. More excitingly, hundreds of audio and video tapes are being pulled from the Armadillo vault to create a documentary showcasing the cultural impact of the venue. Additionally, the brand will offer vinyl recordings of the legendary live shows that took place there. The brand also plans to host more live music in the future.
Armadillo Partners with Austin FC
To celebrate the launch of the Armadillo World brand, they’ve partnered with Austin FC, the city’s new major league soccer team. The team’s kit features a jocktag inspired by the original Armadillo World Headquarters logo as well as the venue’s original address—552 ½ Barton Springs Road—on the back of the neck.
Austin FC president Andy Loughnane spoke about the partnership in a statement. “As a relatively new major league team that strives to be a flagbearer for the community, we believe it’s important to pay homage to the people and places who helped build Austin’s creative and vibrant spirit,” he said. “The spirit of camaraderie and community that came to life at Armadillo World Headquarters is still very much on display today in Austin and you see it come to life at Q2 Stadium on an Austin FC matchday,” Loughnane added.
The brand and its partnership with Austin FC were unveiled at a special event last night (February 15). Ray Benson, frontman of Asleep at the Wheel and the last person to sing on the Armadillo World Headquarters stage was there.
Ray Benson Remembers Armadillo World Headquarters
Just hours before the event, Benson sat down with American Songwriter to reflect on the Armadillo and what it meant to him, Austin, and the rest of the world.
“I thought it was all over because it was a hall, it was a place and the place is gone. I knew that the impact that the Armadillo had certainly would be remembered I knew that was going to be the case,” Benson said of the resurrection of the brand.
Three years ago, Asleep at the Wheel celebrated fifty years as a band. Benson and the rest of the band hoped to have a reunion of those who performed at the iconic venue. However, they couldn’t get those who are still alive on the same page. As a result, nothing came of the idea.
A Place for Everyone
Benson recalled that Armadillo World Headquarters was a place where everyone could come and have a good time. “The most important thing was that it was a magnet for people to come from all over the Midwest, the upper Midwest, the Southwest, the South because it was a safe place for people of the counterculture to congregate, listen to music, drink beer, smoke pot, do whatever without fear of going to jail or being harassed,” he said.
The Final Show at the Armadillo World Headquarters
The final show at the Armadillo World Headquarters took place on New Year’s Eve 1980. That night, Asleep at the Wheel and Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen played. Benson recounted the night’s events during his chat with American Songwriter.
“The last show was incredible,” Benson recalled. “We opened the show and had as our guest Kenneth Threadgill. He was an older fella who had the first beer license in Travis County and had a beer hall. He hosted Janis Joplin, Al St. John, these really seminal sixties figures got their start at Threadgill’s,” he added.
“Maria Muldaur, the great singer from the Jim Kweskin Jug Band who later on a very successful solo career. She sang with us. Commander Cody then played. At 12 midnight we brought in the new year and at 12:15 Commander Cody ended their set,” Benson said.
The night could have been over. However, Benson wasn’t ready for it to end. He suggested that they get back on the stage and play some more. After all, he pointed out, they were closing the venue. No one would face consequences for playing too late or too loud.
The audience hadn’t left when Benson and “a whole bunch” of other musicians took the stage. They played until four in the morning. Then, he put everything away. walked the four blocks back to his house, and called it a night.
About the final show at the Armadillo World Headquarters, Benson said, “I think it demonstrated the kind of community and locality that it was. I have a wonderful feeling about that night. That night was very special musically [and] emotionally. It was also the end of the seventies…The whole scene changed in music.”
Long Live the Armadillo
The Armadillo is gone forever. They demolished the venue and put up an office building. However, the spirit of the venue and those who performed on its stage, drank at its tables, and danced on its hardwood floors remains alive and well. The new lifestyle brand is a reminder of what once was and what could be again.
Featured Image by Rick Kern/Getty Images for Armadillo World
