In the summer of 1970, on the corner of Barton Springs Austin, Texas the Armadillo World Headquarters opened it’s doors for the first time. Spotlighting everything from blues to cosmic country and a servant to the rise of punk rock - the ‘dillo, as the locals called it, was a phenomenon.
A conglomerate of the deeply divided hippies, cowboys and businessmen. The place arrived at a time when Austin struggled to find its musical and cultural identity. The building itself wasn’t anything much, yet it was place of serenity - so many different conflicting cultures simply got along in this place.
For the hippies it was the leniency around smoking pot, and it was the shit-kicking for the cowboys.
Founder and manager Eddie Wilson first found the building feeling sorry for itself. It was as an abandoned National Guard Armoury which had gone through ransack. No air-conditioning, no seating and definitely no sound equipment. After Austin’s previous flag-ship venue had closed down, Wilson wanted to continue the legacy - creating a music hall from the derelict structure.
In an attempt to build the go-to destination for music lovers the building now had outdoor beer gardens, Texan food being served as well as a 1500 capacity. A true community centre. Across it’s 10 year triumph the place had such an eclectic sound producing some of the most progressive music that’s ever been heard for that time. Whilst consistently fighting through financial constraints, the place housed such an eclectic sound producing some of the most progressive music for that time. So much so, the place became legendary in the city of Austin.
Whilst the place can boast names that it has hosted, Frank Zappa, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen etc etc, what made the place so special is the aurora and the memories that place created. It’s just an old club somewhere in Texas, which closed down over 40 years ago? Whilst yes those points are true, it represented a music generation that came before us. A music generation which isn’t so relevant anymore, country music isn’t as popular as it once was but without it we wouldn’t be where we are now.
And now to that place that gave us those unique country rock, blues fused sounds. The place that somehow mixed the freaks and rednecks together - here’s some stories that represented the place so well.
In the spring of 1974 Bruce Springsteen wasn’t how we know him as today. The upcoming artist was arriving to Austin of the back of his second effort, The Wild, the innocent & the E Street Shuffle. Perhaps due to the high expectations and label hype that surrounded his debut album, his second got released with not as much notice. Following the poorly received gigs in Nashville and Atlanta, plus the sacking of his drummer on the first two releases, his band had a strong four-night stand in Houston to then rolling into Armadillo for a weekend of shows.
Eddie Wilson recalled of how nobody was sure of how a new-to-Texas Bruce Springsteen would do in the bar. Him, Alvin Crow (the opening band) and Bruce’s manager, Appel had a meeting in the beer garden to decide how much they were going to charge.
“Well let’s talk about the first night first.”
“Five dollars, how about that”. Eddie goes, “That’s too much”. Of course sticking to the Dillo’s money isn’t a problem philosophy. “Well we don’t need to make a whole lot of money. We’re promoting on this thing. How about $3?”
Eddie goes again, “That’s too much”.
Ending up on $1 for a ticket to watch Bruce Springsteen and $1.50 for the Saturday show. With the benefit of hindsight it sounds obvious to hear Springsteen ran away with the stage, bringing the New York to Austin - a Clemons Sax solo, Sancious on the keys. There was an overwhelming ovation concluding a very successful weekend in Austin for Springsteen. The Armadillo produced a glimpse to what would surround Springsteen for the rest of his career. Jon Landau, Springsteen’s future manager - “I have seen rock and roll’s future and its name is Bruce Springsteen”.
Freddie King was at home in the Armadillo World Headquarters. Playing in the venue over 34 times he created so many special memories inside the hall, his booming voice and his searing guitar licks - he was a blues force of nature. King’s shows would earn sold-out crowds and collect fan’s in and all around Austin, helping spread the Armadillo far and wide. King brought life to the once ran-down building, convincing superstars to take a chance on the new, funky place in Austin.
For all the different metrics you could measure a concerts success; tickets sold, attendance, the revenue. But for a Freddie King concert those never fully told the honest story. What did was always how much beer was sold. Soon King would be voicing beer commercials and with that drinking beer at a King concert became a staple. That’s it. Beer and blues voiced by Freddie King, what more could you want?
Coming out to the “Star Time!” hype, Freddie would always get involved in a guitar battle. He was the embodiment of ferocity, swirling his guitar as far and it would go. Poor thing it was only made for a regular guitar player, not Freddie King.
“Freddie just wanted to get up there and tear it up” Wilson said. “He loved Armadillo, and he was more than satisfied with what he was making”.
He began playing at the Armadillo the second it opened, originally playing to a 50-50 deal - which was incredibly favourable towards the venue - to soon becoming one of the clubs biggest attractions he never renegotiated, just wanted to play.
His death in 1976 left a huge hole in Armadillo, there wasn’t anybody else quite like him.
“There was nobody, and I mean nobody, who could play the guitar better than Freddie King. And there was nobody could sing better. He was just a big bear full of talent, and pity the fool who tried to out-flash him”. - Wilson said.
The most notable thing about the club that is was a collective. Once an empty shell turned into a home. A place to hang drink beer, smoke pot - it was a place that drew everybody together. It was the 50 year anniversary of the place opening in 2020. At a time during the pandemic when everybody was looking for a light of what socialising used to be like, there was a an outpouring of tributes towards the place. So many interviews from previous staff members, concert goers - the front line of the Armadillo.
Long time employee Bruce Willenzik told a story of how he once struggled to get a guy to move from a fire escape.
Loud music was playing and he tried to explain to a couple if they didn’t move then the place would get a ticket and the place could close down. Over the loud music the couple couldn’t hear him and didn’t understand, but they finally stood up. Bruce thinking they understood, he grabbed their chairs ready to move them on but the guy took a swing for Bruce. The guy thinking Bruce was taking the chairs for himself security jumps on the guys back, wrapping their arms around his neck ready to kick him out.
Bruce tells security to ’STOP’, telling them he’s a friend from high-school. The guy is totally freaked out, Bruce explains what actually he wanted to say now the music quieted down. ‘I’m going to move you to a better where you’re legal’. The guy is totally apologetic, finds them a seat moves people around again still apologising.
Bruce turns to them ‘Look you’re ok. Security is not going to touch you because they know you’re a friend of mine now. And I’m not a lawyer. I’m not going to sue you.’
The girl and goes ‘ooooh!’. “We’re both lawyers” .. “My husband Bill is Attornery General of Arkansas, and my name is Hillary.’
Bruce in total shock doesn’t know what just happened, what kind of lawyer punches an employee at a concert venue? Thinking of the headline ‘Attorney General of Arkansas gets mauled at the Armadillo’ Bruce is quick to apologise to THEM. Bringing them food, drinks and leaving them with the band it was the end of the night.
20 yeas on, Bruce was now on the board of an airport terminal task force, he was with a bunch of VIPs, Clinton walks up to him ‘I met you in 77, at the armadillo, the black oak show’. All hugging him, he’s all friendly - some other VIP walks up and asks what’s the deal? Bruce says ‘Old times, I say’.
Read the full interview here