BG-144 Grateful Dead 1968 Fillmore West Poster Signed by Lee Conklin, Graded 9.8....

Description

BG-144 Grateful Dead 1968 Fillmore West Poster Signed by Lee Conklin, Graded 9.8. First-printing San Francisco concert poster for the Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Linn County playing at the Fillmore West Auditorium over the long weekend of November 7-10, 1968. Known as BG-144 in the Bill Graham numbered series, this poster was signed by the poster's creator, Lee Conklin, and subsequently graded a gorgeous 9.8 Near Mint/Mint by CGC (the Certified Guaranty Company).

The amount of imagination and detail that Conklin put into the warrior's face is admirable, on a par with his famous "lion's head" poster two months earlier (BG-134). Certainly unimagined at the time, it's very fortuitous that there's a perfect open spot in the silver artwork that Lee could start autographing decades later. CGC's yellow grading strip at the top signifies that this poster is part of the company's Signature Series, meaning Conklin's signature was executed in front of one of CGC's representatives on the date shown. Measures 14" x 21 1/4" and grades to 9.8 Near Mint/Mint. COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: The Dead were playing off their second album, Anthem of the Sun, and were already in the process of recording their third, Aoxomoxoa. These shows fell just a couple of weeks before keyboardist Tom Constanten joined them permanently. And we're sure the Dead had some snark to offer from the stage... 48 hours earlier, Richard Nixon had narrowly defeated Hubert Humphrey to become the 37th president of the United States.

Quicksilver were happily playing off their debut album, Quicksilver Messenger Service, featuring "Pride of Man," "Dino's Song" and "Gold and Silver." Their second long-player, 1969's Happy Trails, was partially recorded live at the Fillmore West in '68, but it's unclear at exactly which shows; could this have been one of them?

San Francisco-based blues-rock band Linn County, third on the bill, had transplanted themselves from Linn County, Iowa, which is where they got their name. At this juncture, their debut Mercury Records album, Proud Flesh Soothseer, had just come out. LC played around the Bay Area and other locales with many major acts, including Led Zeppelin. But eventually, drummer Clark Pierson left to join Janis Joplin and organist Stephen Miller hooked up with Elvin Bishop, and the group declined from there.