YouTube Helped Us Get This Gig

When Connor started the YouTube channel a little over a year ago, I never imagined we would get customers from our videos, but here we are! The Armadillo Ranch gig is unique for us in a few different ways. First, Justin, the owner of The Armadillo Ranch, found us on YouTube.

Justin owns a print shop in Azle, Texas, called The Skinny Armadillo Print Co. Through his years in the business and his local roots, he knows and has gotten to know many artists, many of whom he makes merch for. After building a new shop in Azle, Justin decided he wanted to host monthly listening room-style shows for artists. These shows are intimate and artist-focused, featuring other local businesses for food and drinks before the show. If you live in the DFW area, you can check out future shows here: The Armadillo Ranch. When Justin got the first technical rider for Max and Heather Stalling, he realized he needed help… and that's where our story begins. 

After seeing a couple of our videos, Justin realized we were in Fort Worth and emailed us to see if we were available for his first two shows. Lucky for us, we were! Before the first show, Connor was able to head over to the print shop, check out the space, and meet Justin. When we showed up in November for the gig, the print shop was different from what I expected. The shop is located on a beautiful piece of property that, one day, Justin hopes to build a permanent music venue on. Inside, the shop is pristine. There are three giant machines, two lime green mechanical-looking spiders, and another with a massive conveyor belt tongue. I was expecting a little more mess and chaos, which is the second unique thing about this gig; from start to finish, there was no mess or chaos!

Even with our prep work, intake questions, and follow-ups, details get overlooked, questions remain unanswered, and the day of incorporates a little bit of improvising, a little bit of guesswork, and a whole lot of just going with it. That usually leads to extra equipment or some considerable obstacles that need to be figured out, like lack of power. Knowing that we typically work with 80% or less of the details makes me anxious before a gig, especially for a new client and location. 

The preplanning of this gig was so smooth! We had a technical rider (we rarely do), and it was pretty close to home. I also had the opportunity to email Max and Heather to clarify a few things, and they both seemed nice. After meeting Justin, I can't imagine him inviting anyone who isn't nice to perform at the print shop! When we got to the print shop, it had already been transformed. Curtains were hung, chairs and tables were set up for the audience and the artists, the only thing missing was a rug and our gear! Honestly, I don't think we've ever shown up to a gig this ready for us. I can't tell you how often I have been roped into moving tables, setting up chairs, and rearranging floral arrangements at events. 

Load-in and set-up were a breeze thanks to our epic parking situation and Connor's prep work. Connor spends a lot of time preparing for each gig by labeling pretty much everything, creating scenes, and getting rough monitor mixes ready for the artists. A lot of this work happens "off-screen," and I think sometimes, it is something a client can overlook. One of the reasons Justin was confident in hiring SCA was because of how organized all the gear was in our videos, and that is 100%, Connor.

Max and Heather arrived for sound check, and after plugging in a few pieces of gear, including a fiddle amp, soundcheck was underway! Max and Heather were just as friendly in person as they were in their emails. Max talks with this really awesome Texas accent (there are as many accents as there are Texans) that comes through in his vocals, adding authenticity to this singer-songwriter duo. Heather plays the fiddle with passion and the right amount of flair. Her fiddle playing is magnificent and powerful. If you want to learn more about Max and Heather, you can check them out here: Learn more about Max and Heather Stalling.

Anyway, I don't want to spoil too much, I hope you all enjoy the video!