Armadillo World HeadQuarters
Over the summer of 1970, a loose collective of hippies, free spirits, and dreamers refashioned the old National Guard armory building at the corner of South First Street and Barton Springs, just across the Colorado River from downtown Austin, into a concert hall and beer garden.
The Armadillo World Headquarters was all about music, a shared tolerance for marijuana, psychedelic drugs, and cold beer, and like its namesake had a hard-shell interior with a docile disposition.During its first two years of operation, the Armadillo brought in a parade of touring talent who otherwise would have bypassed Texas, including Ry Cooder, Captain Beefheart, Taj Mahal, Dr. John the Night Tripper, Frank Zappa, the Flying Burrito Brothers, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Bill Monroe, and especially Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.
But it wasn’t until the night of Aug. 12, 1972, when Willie Nelson walked onto the stage of the Armadillo that everything changed. That performance in front of a mixed crowd of hippies and rednecks is recognized as the starting point of the modern Austin music scene.
---Joe Nick PatoskiThis is Texas Governor Ann Richards' keynote speech at South by Southwest in 1993 remembering when the Armadillo World Head Quarters creator Eddie Wilson telling her in 1970 "the AWHQ would become the center of the musical universe" then Eddie Wilson introduces Willie Nelson.
Celebrating the 45th anniversary of the grand opening show, this site is an archive of the visual, aural, and written record of all things related to AWHQ music, art and history.
The Armadillo played a unique and dynamic role in shaping not only the Austin music community, but the place that has become known as one of the coolest, most progressive cities in the world today. The last musical note on the Armadillo stage was played on New Year's Eve 1980, but its influence lives on. To this day Austin’s reputation for great music and laid-back attitude can be traced back to a handful of dance halls, dive bars and honky tonks. Hippies, slackers, and dreamers created world class music, art, and lifestyle at the Armadillo. Have you ever met a person whose life was changed after they experienced a show there?
If you old hippies care to share your photos, images of posters, ticket stubs and/or stories of the dillo while you can remember them, we would love to have them for the site. Send them on to us and we'll post them to live on for the musically curious to discover.
Send any information to AWHQ709@gmail.com.
1970's High School Yearbook
The picture above is a page from a 1970's high school yearbook from Williamson County
Quite a few images are sourced from the South Austin Popular Cultural Center.
Please support them at their NEW LOCATION:6416 NORTH LAMAR BLVD, in the 'upstairs store' at Threadgill's Restaurant.
PLEASE NOTE: If we have used an image or photo of yours and have not attributed it properly, or you do not wish it to be part of the official AWHQ website, please let us know and we will remove or correct to your satisfaction.
This is the archive of a place important in shaping Austin's future. The last note was played on New Years Eve 1980 but its influence lives on.
Here's your all access backstage pass to the Armadillo World Headquarters.
Welcome friends to the official website of the Armadillo World Headquarters
GROWING LIST OF AWHQ PERFORMERS
Asmus Delby & Gay --- Atlanta Rhythm Section --- Augie Meyers --- Aurora --- Austin Ballet Theater --- Austin Blues Ensemble --- Austin Friends of Traditional Music --- Average White Band --- Ayers Rock --- Aztec Two Step --- B. W. Stevenson --- B.B. King --- B-52s --- Baba Ram Dass --- Baby --- Baby Face --- Backbone --- Balcones Fault --- Barry Melton --- Basilisk --- Becca Sarow --- Bee Bop Deluxe --- Bee's Knees --- Bellamy Brothers --- Bert Jansch --- Berzerko Brothers --- Beto Y Los Fairlanes --- Bette Midler --- Big Boys --- Big Joe Turner --- Big Twist --- Bill and Bonnie Hearne --- Bill Bruford --- Bill Connors --- Bill Evans --- Bill Kirchen --- Bill Monroe --- Bill Neely --- Bill Withers --- Bill Wray --- Billy C. Farlow
Billy Cobham --- Billy Joe Shaver --- ---Billy Swan --- Black Horse --- Black Oak Arkansas --- Blackfoot --- Blind George --- Blind George McLain --- Blind Melon --- Blitz Brothers --- Blondie --- Blood Sweat and Tears --- Bloodrock --- Blue Oyster Cult --- Bob Jenkins --- Bob Seger --- Bob Weir --- Bob Welch --- Bobby Bridger --- Bobby Doyle --- Bobby Thomas & the Light Men --- Bola Hooker --- Bonnie Murray --- Bonnie Raitt --- Boo Ray & the Bivalves --- Boomtown Rats --- Boz Scaggs --- Brand X --- Brave Combo --- Brecker Brothers --- Breeze --- Brewer & Shipley --- Brian Auger's Oblivion Express --- Brian Jackson & the Midnight Band --- Brides of Funkenstein --- Brock Walsh --- Brodie Mountain Boys --- Bronco Brothers --- Brownsville Station --- Bruce Cockburn --- Bruce Springsteen
Bryan Bowers --- Bubble Puppy --- Buck Acre --- Buckdancer’s Choice --- Budgie --- Buffy St. Marie --- Bugs Henderson --- Bump and Grind --- Buster Brown Band --- Butch Hancock --- Buzz Bone --- Byron Berline --- Cactus Pryor --- Calico --- Calvert Powell & Resnick --- Captain Beefheart --- Captain Beyond --- Carla Bley --- Carlene Carter --- Carnaval Brasileiro '79 --- Carry Beezer --- Cassel Webb's Bumpin' Co. --- Cate Bros --- Catfish Hodge --- Cats at Work --- Cedar Frost --- Chango --- Charles Mingus --- Charlie Daniels Band --- Charlie Day --- Charlie Sexton
The Lost Planet Airmen --- Contenders --- Cooder Brown --- Cool Breeze --- Copas Brothers --- Corky Laing --- Cornell Hurd --- Corpo Santo --- Couchois --- Count Basie ---Country --- Country Gazette --- Country Gentlemen --- Country Joe and the Fish --- Country Joe McDonald --- Crab --- Crabby Appleton --- Craig Calvert --- Creation --- Cross Country --- Crystal Image --- Cunningham Corner --- D. Binker --- D. K. Little’s Power Play --- D.B. Cooper --- Daddy Longlegs --- Daisy Dillman Band --- Dan Del Santo --- Dan Ely --- Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks --- Dana Cooper --- Daredevils
Daril Leonard --- Dark Horse --- Darrel Rhoades & The HaHaVishnu Orchestra --- Dash Morgan --- Dave Brubeck Quartet --- Dave Edmunds & Rockpile --- Dave Mason --- Dave Van Ronk --- David "Fathead" Newman --- David Allen Coe --- David Bromberg --- David Grisman --- David LaFlamme --- David Newman --- D-Day --- Dee McCandless --- Dee Moeller --- Delaney Bramlett --- Delbert & Glenn --- Delbert McClinton --- Demian --- Denim --- Deodato --- Derringer --- Desires --- Desmond Child & Rouge --- Devo --- Dexter Gordon --- Diamond Rio --- Dickie Betts --- Dillaplane --- Dingoes --- Dire Straits --- Dixie Diesel --- Dixie Dregs --- Doak Snead --- Doc & Merle Watson --- Doc Jones Band --- Doc Watson --- Doctor Feelgood --- Doctor John
Dogs at Play --- Dolenz Jones Boyce & Hart --- Don McLean --- Don Sanders --- Donna Fargo --- Doug Dyer --- Doug Kershaw --- Doug Sahm --- Dr. Feelgood --- Dr. Hook & Medicine Show --- Dragon --- Duncan Browne --- Dusty Drape & Dusters --- Duval Step --- Dwight Twilley --- E.O. Doggett --- Eaglebone Whistle --- Earl Scruggs --- Eastwood Revue --- Easy Money --- Eber --- Eddie & Martha Atcock --- Eddie Harris --- Eddie Money --- Edgar Winter --- Egberto Gismonti --- El Molino --- El Rancho --- El Roacho --- Electromagnets --- Elizabeth Barraclough --- Elliot Leonard --- Elvin Bishop --- Elvis Costello --- Emmylou Harris --- Eric Clapton --- Eric Johnson --- Eric Quincy Tate --- Ernie Gammage --- Ester Satterfield --- Etta James
Eureka --- Evergreen --- Exile --- Explosives --- Extreme Heat --- Ezra Charles --- Fancy Space --- Fanny --- Fast Sam --- Fat 'n' Sassy --- Fats Domino --- Feet First --- Felix Pappalardi --- Fever Tree --- Firefall --- First Nat'l Rotagilla Band --- Flaco Jimenez --- Flamin' Groovies --- Flash Cadillac & The Continental Kids --- Flora Purim --- Flying Burrito Brothers --- Foghat --- Fools --- Foreplay --- Frampton's Camel --- Frank Zappa--- Frank Zappa & The Mothers --- Franklin Ajaye --- Fred Argir --- Fred Walser --- Freda & the Firedogs --- Freddie Hubbard --- Freddie King --- Freddy Fender --- --- Free At Last --- Free Beer --- Free Nugs & the Kickbaxxx --- Freedom Express --- Frenzi --- Full House --- Funkadelic --- Funky Kings
Micael Priest's unequaled cutaway top view of the Armadillo World Head Quarters.
Gabrieli Brass Quintet --- Gallagher & Lyle --- Gamma --- Gap Mangione --- Garfield --- Gary Burton --- Gary P. Nunn --- Gary Wright --- Gasolin' --- Gatemouth Brown --- Gato Barbieri --- Geezinslaws --- Genesis --- Gentle Giant --- George Duke & Billy Cobham --- George Thorogood & The Destroyers --- Gil Gilberto --- Gil Scott-Heron --- Ginger Valley --- Gino Vanelli --- Golden Earring --- Goose Creek Symphony --- Gospel Silvertones --- Gospel Stars --- Gove --- Graham Parker & the Rumor --- Gram Parsons
Great Guitars --- Green Slime Boys --- Greezy Wheels --- Grinderswitch --- Gypsee Eyes --- Haciendo Punto --- Haji --- Hall and Oats --- Hamm Brothers --- Hampton Geese Band --- Hand to Mouth --- Happy Traun --- Harnett Brothers --- Harry Anderson --- Harry Chapin --- Harvey Mandel --- Harvey Raspberry --- Head East --- Heartsfield --- Heath Brothers --- Heaven & Earth --- Helpinstill --- Henry Gross --- Herbie Hancock --- Heyoka --- Hickory Wind --- High Cotton --- High Country --- High Voltage --- Holy Modal Rounders --- Homegrown --- Hometown Band --- HooDoo Rhythm Devils --- (Backing Pointer Sisters) --- Hoot Night --- Horslips --- Hot Cakes --- Hot Sauce --- Hot Tuna --- Hoyt Axton --- Hub City Movers --- Hugh Regan --- Hurricane Carter --- Hydra --- If --- Iggy Pop --- Image --- Incredible String Band
Iron Butterfly --- It's A Beautiful Day --- J. D. Souther --- J. Geils Band --- Jack & Fletcher --- Jack De Johnette --- Jackie King --- James Brown --- James Cotton Band --- James Tally --- Jan Garbarek --- Jan Hammer --- Jay Boy Adams --- Jay Ferguson --- Jazzmanian Devils --- Jean-Luc Ponty --- Jeff Beck --- Jeff Berlin --- Jeff Lorber Fusion --- Jerrie Jo Jones --- Jerry Barnett --- Jerry Duwanville
Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders --- Jerry Garcia Band --- Jerry Green --- Jerry Jeff Walker --- Jerry Lee Lewis --- Jesse Colin Young --- Jim Mings --- Jim Ringer --- Jimmie Dale Gilmore --- Jimmie Vaughan --- Jimmy Buffet --- Jimmy Cliff --- Jimmy Spheeris --- Jimmy Witherspoon --- JJ Cale --- Jo Jo Gunne --- Joan Armatrading --- Joanne Mackell --- Job --- Joe Cocker --- Joe Ely --- Joe Jackson --- John Abercrombie --- John Anderson
John Cale --- John Clay --- John Cougar (nee Mellencamp) --- John Dee Graham --- John Fahey --- John Garza & Blue Horizon --- John Hammond --- John Hartford --- John Henry Faulk --- John Klemmer --- John Mayall --- John Nitzinger --- John Prine --- John Reed --- John Renbourn --- John Sebastian --- John Staehely --- John Stuckey --- John Vandiver --- Johnny Dee & the Rocket 88's --- Johnny Gimble --- Johnny Pierce --- Johnny Rodriguez --- Johnny Winter --- Joker Moon --- Jon Emery & The Missouri Valley Boys --- Jose Feliciano --- Journey --- Joy of Cooking --- Jubal Clark --- Jubilation --- Jug Band --- Jules & the Polar Bears --- Jus’ Walkin’ --- Kansas --- Karla Bonoff --- Katy Moffett --- Keith Adams --- Keith Van Sickle --- Kenneth Threadgill --- Kenny & The Jets --- Kenny & the Kasuals --- Kenny Acosta Band --- Kenny Doss --- Kenny Loggins
Kenny Rankin --- Kevin Collins --- KGB --- King Creole --- Kinky Friedman --- Kirk von Sickle --- Kiwi --- Krackerjack --- Kraftwerk --- Krishna Dass --- Kuba --- Kurt Van Sickle --- L.A. Jets --- La Primavera --- Ladd Roberts --- Lake --- Larry Coryell --- Larry Gatlin --- Larry Groce --- Larry McNeely --- Larry Raspberry & The Highsteppers --- Lasuza --- Lavender Hill Express --- Law --- Lawrence Hammond --- Le Roux --- Lee Ann & The Bizarros --- Lee McCullough Band --- Legends of Jazz --- Legion of Mary --- Legs Diamond --- Lenny White --- Leo Kottke --- Leon Redbone --- Leon Russell --- Leroy Jenkins --- Leroy Preston & WDM --- Les Blanc --- Les Clamtones --- Les Dudek --- Levon Helm --- Lightnin' Hopkins --- Lightning --- Linda Hargrove --- Linda Ronstadt --- Lindsey Haisley --- Link Davis --- Link Wray --- Little FeatLittle Imo --- Long John Baldry --- Los Guajalotes --- Lost Gonzo Band --- Lost Highway Band --- Lou Ann Barton --- Lou Ray --- Loudon Wainwright III --- Lowell Fulson & Etta James --- Lowell George --- Lower Forty Grass --- Lucky Roach --- Lynn Groom --- Lynx --- Lynyrd Skynyrd --- M. Sokoloff Dancers --- Magazine --- Mahavishnu Orchestra --- Mahogany Rush --- Mama’s Pride --- Mambo Combo --- Man Band --- Mance Lipscomb --- Marc Benno --- Marcia Ball --- Maria Muldar --- Marianne Faithfull --- Mark Farner --- Mark Hallman --- Mark Jordan --- Marshall Tucker Band --- Martin Mull --- Mary McCaslin --- Mary Travers --- Maynard Ferguson --- McKendree Spring --- Meatloaf --- Meisburg & Walters --- Mendocino All Stars
Michael (Martin) Murphey --- Michael Diner --- Michael Franks --- Michael Katakis --- Michael Marcoulier --- Michael Murphey --- Michael Nesmith --- Michael Simmons & Slewfoot --- Michael Urbakiak Fusion --- Michael Woody --- Midnight Angels --- Mike Davis --- Mike Greene Band --- Milton Carroll --- Mink deVille --- Miroslav Vitous --- Mission Mountain Wood Band --- Missouri --- Missouri Woodland --- Molta --- Monkees --- Montrose --- Moods of Country Music --- Moon Martin --- Moonlighters --- Mose Allison --- Mother of Pearl --- Moxy --- Mullet --- Myles & Lenny --- Nat Adderley --- Navasota --- Neil Larson --- Nektar --- Network --- New Grass Revival --- New Orleans R&B Allstars --- New Riders of the Purple Sage --- Next --- Nick Lowe --- Ninth Street Blues Band --- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band --- Noel Redding --- Norman & Nancy Blake --- Northfork Express --- Norton Buffalo Stampede --- Nova --- NRBQ --- Old & New Dreams --- Old Salt --- Oliver Lake --- Omar & the Howlers --- On 2nd Thought --- One Hand Clapping --- Outlaws --- Overload --- Ozark Mountain Daredevils --- Panama Red --- Papa John Creach --- Paradise Special --- Parliament/Funkadelic --- Passenger --- Pat Metheny --- Patty Smith --- Paul Butterfield --- Paul Ray & The Cobras
Paul Winter Consort --- Pavlov's Dog --- Penny Ney --- Peter Lang --- Peter Robinson --- Peter Rowan --- Phil Lesh --- Phil Ochs --- Phil Woods Quintet --- Phyrework --- Plum Nelly --- Point --- Pointer Sisters --- Pot Liquor --- Pousette-Dart Band --- Pretenders --- Pure Prairie League --- Quicksilver Messenger Service --- Quilapayun --- Rabble --- Rainshadow --- Ralph Bostoe --- Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys --- Ralph Towner --- Ram Dass --- Ram Jam --- Ramblin' Jack Elliot --- Ramon Ramon & the 4 Daddios --- Ramsey Lewis --- Randall Bramblett --- Randy Crawford --- Randy Hansen & Machine Gun --- Randy Newman --- Rat Creek --- Rat Madness --- Ravi Shankar --- Ray Campi --- Ray Charles --- Ray Manzarek --- Ray Wylie Hubbard --- RCO All Stars --- Records --- Red Weaver Band --- Red White & Bluegrass --- Refugee
Renaissance --- Rex Allen Jr --- Richard Beirach --- Richard Lasaya --- Richard Torrence --- Richie Furay --- Rick Casual & the Kitchen Band --- Rick Derringer --- Rick Stein --- Rickie Lecea --- Rickie Lee Jones --- Riley Osborn --- Riot --- Ritchie Havens --- Riverstone --- Roadmap --- Roanoke --- Rob Moorman & Saddle Tramp --- Rob Sunderland --- Robert Chowning --- Robert Gordon --- Robert Palmer --- Robert Shaw --- Robin Lane --- Rockaway --- Rockets --- Rockin' Devils --- RockinHorse --- Rockpile --- Roger McGuinn --- Roky Erickson --- Ron Crick --- Ronnie Laws --- Rory Gallagher --- Rounder --- Rowan Brothers --- Roxy Music --- Roy Buchanan --- Roy Harper
Ruben Ramos & the Mexican Revolution --- Ruby Starr --- Ruby w/ Tom Fogerty --- Rufus --- Rush --- Rusty Weir --- Ry Cooder --- Sack Weed --- Sailor --- Salaman --- Sam Rivers Quartet --- Sammy Hagar --- San Francisco Mime Troupe --- Sanford-Townsend Band --- Santana --- Savoy Brown --- Science Fiction Band --- Seals & Crofts --- Shake Russell & Dana Cooper --- Shakin' Street --- Shandi --- Shaun Cassidy --- Shawn Phillips --- Shawn Seigel --- Shenandoah --- Shiva's Headband --- Shoes --- Shotgun --- Side of the Road Gang --- Siler Kessel & Holmes --- Silver City Saddle Tramps --- Silvertones --- Sirius
Skeeter Tate Band --- Skyhooks --- Skyrocket --- Skyscrapers --- Slow Motion --- Snaker & the Shakers --- Sonny Fortune Quartet --- Sonny Oard --- Sonny Rollins --- Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee --- Sons of Cajun Crawdady --- Sons of Champlin --- Sonstar --- Southern Feeling --- Southside Johnny & the Ashbury Jukes --- Space Opera --- Spanky and Our Gang --- Spatz --- Spellbound --- Spirit --- Split Enz --- Spyro Gyra --- St. Elmo's Fire --- Stan Alexander --- Standing Waves --- Star Spangled Washboard Band --- Starbuck --- Starcrost --- STB --- Steam Heat --- Steeleye Span --- Steely Dan
Stephane Grappelli --- Stephen Bruton --- Steve Esteban Jorden --- Steve Forbert --- Steve Fromholz --- Steve Goodman --- Steve Grossman --- Steve Long Band --- Stevie Ray Vaughan --- Still Walkin' --- Stillwater --- Stoneground --- Stoney Edwards --- Storm --- Strawbs --- Summerfield --- Sun Ra --- Sun Ra & His Arkestra --- Sunrise --- Supernatural Family Band --- Suze Raff & Woody Lawson --- Sweet Tooth --- T. Gosney Thornton --- T. Tellonious Troll --- Tailwind --- Taj Mahal --- Talking Heads --- T-Bone Burnett --- Ted Nugent --- Terminal Mind --- Terry Lee Hale --- Texas --- Texas Rose --- Texiod --- The Beat --- The Cats --- The Clash --- The Committee --- The Contendors --- The Continental Kids --- The Dead Boys --- The Dicks --- The Dictators --- The Dillards --- The Drifters of Victoria --- The English Beat --- The Explosives --- The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Flatlanders --- The Fools --- The Grey Ghost --- The Jam --- The Johnny Gimble Band --- The Kinks --- The Kinks --- The Lost Austin Band --- The Lost Planet Airmen --- The Lotions --- The Meters --- The Meters --- The Mighty Clouds of Joy --- The Neville Brothers --- The New Oso Band --- The Persuasions --- The Police --- The Ramones --- The Reactors --- The Reynolds Sisters --- The Roches --- The Runaways --- The Skunks --- The Staple Singers --- The States --- The Tubes --- The Wild Tchoupitoulas --- Thin Lizzie --- Thin Lizzy --- Third World --- Tiger Balm --- Tim Buckley --- Tim Curry --- Tim Weisberg --- Timothy Leary --- Toby Beau --- Todd Rundgren
Tom Browne --- Tom Johnston --- Tom Paxton --- Tom Robinson Band --- Tom Rush --- Tom T. Hall --- Tom Waits --- Tommy Bolan --- Tommy Tutone --- Tompall Glaser --- Tony Williams --- Too High Band --- Too Smooth --- Toots & The Maytals --- Toto --- Tower of Power --- Townes Van Zandt --- Toys --- Traction Masters --- Tracy Nelson & Mother Earth --- Traffic --- Trapeze --- Traveler --- Triple Threat Review --- Triple XXX --- Triumvirate --- Truck --- Turkey Trots --- UFO --- Ultravox --- Uncle Vinty --- Uncle Walt's Band --- Uranium Savages --- Utopia --- Valdy & The Hometown Band --- Van Halen
Van Morrison --- Vassar Clements --- Vince Bell --- Vince Mariani Band --- Vixen --- Warren Zevon --- Watson Beasley --- Wave --- Waylon Jennings --- Wazmo Nariz --- Weather Report --- Wendy Waldman --- Wesley Lunsford --- Wet Willie --- Wheatfield --- Whiskey Drinkin' Music --- Whistler --- White Lightning --- Widow Maker --- Wiggy Bits --- Wilcox West --- Wildfire --- William D. Smith --- Willie Nelson --- Willis Alan Ramsey --- Wommack Brothers --- Woodband --- Woodstock Census --- Woody Shaw --- XTC --- Yusef Lateef --- Yvonne Elliman --- ZZ Top --- and more.Official Armadillo World HeadQuarters Website.
Although Austin and its entertainment is moving into a future that will make the "happening" that was the Vulcan / AWHQ look quaint and distant, this web time capsule will show you what the decade 1970-1980 meant to the future of Austin.
The musicians, staff and patrons were the heart of the place that continues to inspire the young and the musically curious. We welcome input from anyone that has an AWHQ story, photo, graphic or image of memorabilia. Take a picture of your old photos, newspaper clippings, ticket stubs and so on, the dustier the better, and send your images and stories to us. You can be a part of the official history of the AWHQ.
Send any information or questions to AWHQ709@gmail.com.
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