MC5 1966 "Seagull" First-Ever Grande Ballroom Poster Signed by Gary Grimshaw, Graded 7.0 (AOR-3.135). ...

Description

THE GRANDE BALLROOM, RUSS GIBB & GARY GRIMSHAW TAKE FLIGHT

MC5 1966 "Seagull" First-Ever Grande Ballroom Poster Signed by Gary Grimshaw, Graded 7.0 (AOR-3.135). An original first-printing psychedelic cardboard window card advertising the very first Grande Ballroom dance-concert in the fall of 1966, starring Detroit's own MC5 and the Chosen Few playing on Friday and Saturday nights, October 7 & 8, 1966. This is Detroit's equivalent of FD-1 and BG-1, and in fact the poster even says "in the San Francisco Style." This terrifically rare timepiece has been graded 7.0 Fine/Very Fine by CGC (the Certified Guaranty Company), but serious collectors know it's extremely difficult to find in any condition. And to top it all off, it's been neatly signed by the late Mr. Grimsaw in the lower right margin.

This poster will charm the socks right off you. Grimshaw, with the moniker "The Corner Drugstore" at the poster's bottom, created a theme for his poster much like the S.F. artists sometimes did. You've got the giant bird in the middle, the slug line "Detroit's First Participatory Zoo Dance," and at the bottom with a wink, "Seagulls Admitted Free." A rolling-letter font and alternating red & black colors are the wind beneath the seagull's wings. "Uncle Russ Travel Agency" is promoter Russ Gibb's Family Dog-like logo in the upper left. It all ties together beautifully, yet has all the magic of an innocent first effort by all involved.

And we love the way Grimshaw solved all pronunciation issues by spelling it out "Grand-De Ballroom" on the poster. There are so many firsts here, it's just a poster-student's delight. This would be a terrific feather in the cap of any serious rock-poster or pop-art collector. Heritage has had the pleasure of selling this poster only once before, a year ago, and for that 6.0-graded specimen we received $13,750. Measures 13 1/8" x 18". From the David Swartz Concert Poster Collection. COA from Heritage Auctions.

Literature: See Grushkin, Paul, The Art of Rock: Posters from Presley to Punk, Abbeville Press, New York, 1987, p.298 (illus.).

Literature: King, Eric, The Collector's Guide to Psychedelic Rock Concert Posters, Postcards and Handbills 1965-1973, Vol. 12, Berkeley, CA, 2022, p.653 (illus.).

More Information: The MC5's description of "Famous" was not far off the mark, locally. Remarkably, they had formed in pre-Beatles 1963. Founded by guitarists Wayne Kramer (RIP: 2/2/24) and Fred "Sonic" Smith, they eventually landed on "MC5" as their name, short for the Motor City Five. Up until this point, they had often played to sold-out audiences of 1,000 or more, gigging constantly around Detroit; they had earned their reputation. (Their debut album, Kick Out the Jams, would be recorded at the Grande two years later to the month.)


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