BG-1 Jefferson Airplane 1966 Seminal Fillmore Auditorium Concert Poster Graded 9.6. ...

Description

THE BIRTH OF THE BILL GRAHAM NUMBERED-SERIES POSTERS

BG-1 Jefferson Airplane 1966 Seminal Fillmore Auditorium Concert Poster Graded 9.6. This is it: the very first poster from either Bill Graham or Chet Helms in their years-long cherished numbered series of BG and FD posters. Printed in January 1966 (wow), this poster heralded the official opening of the Fillmore Auditorium to regular rock concerts, and the arrival of the Jefferson Airplane as a local force to be reckoned with. And this beauty has been graded a high-sailing 9.6 Near Mint Plus by CGC (the Certified Guaranty Company).

The Airplane, long before Grace Slick joined them, were the whole shootin' match at the Fillmore on February 4, 5 and 6, 1966. No opening acts listed, no light show, no psychedelic artwork, no artist's credit... this was straight-ahead advertising but did include a crazy enough central image to appeal to the nascent counterculture developing in the Bay Area. It was designed by Peter Bailey, who promoter Graham hired for this first poster but who was then immediately replaced with Wes Wilson for his second poster-onwards. Measures 14 ¼" x 20". From the David Swartz Concert Poster Collection. COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: Yes, this is the pre-show printing that was done on yellow paper, thus the yellow verso. Graham had rejected the first run which gave Bailey a faint credit at the bottom, so these (BG-1-OP-2) were printed with no artist's credit - which soon changed in the Wilson era, of course. And distributed around the Bay Area to advertise this brand-new dance-concert scene at the Fillmore.

This was very early for the Airplane, with Signe Anderson still in the band instead of Grace Slick. This was the month RCA Records released the band's first single, "It's No Secret"/"Runnin' 'Round This World." Their debut album Takes Off (with Signe) was still six months away.


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