LEGENDARY AUSTIN VENUE ARMADILLO WORLD HEADQUARTERS RELAUNCHES AS A LIFESTYLE BRAND

Austin FC 2024 Kit Unveiled in First Ever Cultural Collaboration

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Armadillo World Headquarters, the legendary music venue that led to Austin’s reputation as “the live music capital of the world” is coming back. But now, instead of a live music hall, the new brand Armadillo World will celebrate the spirit and legacy of the original venue through live events, merchandise and a documentary film.

From 1970-1981 the ‘Dillo brought together music fans from all walks of life to enjoy the good vibes and live performances of over 800 legendary artists, including Frank Zappa, Bruce Springsteen, Jimmy Buffett,  WillIe Nelson, Linda Ronstadt, Ray Charles, Van Morrison, Jerry Garcia, AC/DC, Van Halen, Talking Heads and many more. The venue’s final show by Asleep at the Wheel on New Years Eve 1980 left a legacy of inclusion, creativity and unity, then the venue closed its doors…until today.

Kicking off the new incarnation, Armadillo World Headquarters and Austin FC, Major League Soccer’s 27th professional team, announced an exclusive cultural collaboration. The Club’s new kit features a jocktag inspired by the original Armadillo World Headquarters logo, as well as a reference to the original venue address on the back of the neck. The kit was unveiled at an exclusive event last on February 15th at ACL Live, featuring headliners and 7x Grammy winners Asleep at the Wheel and new country sensation William Beckmann.

“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,” said Austin FC President Andy Loughnane. “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.”

Armadillo World will reveal a treasure trove of over 200 video/audio tapes of classic Armadillo performances for a feature documentary film currently in development. A new line of limited-edition retro merchandise has launched as well, with vinyl recordings, and live music events to be announced. The first glimpse into music history has been captured in a new website and  teaser video exclusively revealed here. 

“We created a gangly, oversized venue full of musicians, misfits, artists, creatives, musicians, and cooks, all working together to create a desirable community that became why Austin has a magnetic appeal. Today we are celebrating the spirit of the Armadillo with a new generation of music and pop culture fans. We’ll never capture the feeling of being in the original venue, but we can share the powerful culture that made Austin the special place it is today,” said Eddie Wilson, co-founder and owner of Armadillo World Headquarters.

For more information, please visit www.armadilloworld.com.

For photos from the February 15, 2024 Austin FC event, please click here. Photo credit: Getty Images for Armadillo World.

About Armadillo World Headquarters

The Armadillo World Headquarters was a legendary 70’s Austin music venue, and the brand is being relaunched with the goal of celebrating the music, culture and values it always stood for. The new brand, Armadillo World, will come to life through numerous multi-media platforms, leveraging a treasure trove of never-before-seen original recordings, and will include a feature documentary film, merchandise, exclusive music releases, and live events. www.armadilloworld.com

About Austin FC

Austin FC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the League’s 27^th club in January 2019. Austin FC officially began competing in MLS in April 2021 and played its first match at home on June 19, 2021, in the new, 100% privately financed, state-of-the-art Q2 Stadium in Austin. In its second year, Austin FC finished the regular season 2^nd in the Western Conference, while also making a run to the Western Conference Finals during the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Austin FC also operates Austin FC II, a professional-level development team which competes in MLS NEXT Pro and which won the league title during its inaugural season in 2023. In addition, Austin FC operates Austin FC Academy which is the fully funded developmental academy representing the highest level of competition for elite youth soccer players in Central Texas, while serving as the exclusive developmental pathway to MLS for the region’s most talented young players. Combined, Austin FC II and Austin FC Academy teams complete the pro player pathway between elite youth soccer (MLS NEXT) all the way to MLS, and allow for players to develop, improve, and move up to Austin FC or Austin FC II.

SOURCE Armadillo World Headquarters