FD-33 Grateful Dead 1966 Avalon Ballroom Concert Handbill Signed by Stanley Mouse, Graded 9.8. ...

Description

FD-33 Grateful Dead 1966 Avalon Ballroom Concert Handbill Signed by Stanley Mouse, Graded 9.8. First-printing San Francisco concert flyer for the Grateful Dead and Oxford Circle playing at the Avalon Ballroom on Friday and Saturday nights, November 4 & 5, 1966. Known as FD-33 in the Family Dog numbered series, this handbill was designed by Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley, and has been signed by the former in "running mouse" fashion at the bottom. Nicknamed "Logo" for obvious reasons, this red & green handbill was awarded a sterling 9.8 Near Mint/Mint grade by CGC (the Certified Guaranty Company). Measures 8 ½" x 11". COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: CGC's yellow grading strip at the top signifies this poster is part of the company's Signature Series, meaning Mr. Mouse's signature was executed right in front of one of CGC's representatives, and is even dated as such, in this case five years ago.

Mouse & Kelley actually got the dates wrong in their design of this piece; notice how it says "Nov 3-4" at the top, in two places. Those dates fell on Thursday and Friday on the 1966 calendar, but of course the shows actually took place on Friday and Saturday nights, November 4 & 5.

This flyer represents a reunion of sorts between the Grateful Dead, Oxford Circle, Mouse & Kelley, the Avalon Ballroom and the Family Dog; the last time they all got together, six weeks prior, the FD-26 "Skeleton & Roses" masterpiece was created. Call this one the encore.

These shows happened just days after Jerry Garcia had flown to Los Angeles, joined Jefferson Airplane recording Surrealistic Pillow in an RCA studio, totally rearranged "Somebody to Love" into its famous hit version, played lead guitar on a few other songs, and even helped create the album title Surrealistic Pillow. For all this, Garcia was credited only as "Musical and Spiritual Advisor" on the LP jacket. Opening act the Oxford Circle were a feedback-heavy psychedelic band out of Davis, California, about 75 miles northeast of San Francisco.

One has to wonder why Mouse Studios simply blew up the company's logo for their poster design this time. Perhaps they ran out of time, had creative block, or simply wanted to show off the FD logo in a size never seen before. It certainly gave people a chance to see the logo's slogan in readable size: "May the baby Jesus shut your mouth and open your mind."


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