Grateful Dead Poster
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Singer's collages rarely related to the bands or events they advertised. BG227 was a study of forms: the parallel chambers of the nautilus released, or perhaps contained, the stuff of galaxies, and the brightly-defined triangle represented the spiritual. The pure beauty of the design made BG227 a piece of original art. The concert was another example of Bill Graham serving the fans both what they wanted and what they needed: The Grateful Dead and Miles Davis.
The 1st printing poster lacks the "W" found after the "No. 227" on the reprint. It measures 14" x 21" and was printed before the concert.
The 2nd printing displays a white "W" after the "No. 227" in the bottom left hand margin. It measures 14" x 21" and was printed after the concert.
The 3rd printing is on smooth glossy stock and has a Wolfgang's Vault notation in the lower right hand margin. It omits the white "W" and was printed in 2008 by the Bill Graham Archives LLC in a 500 copy run. This reprint measures 20 3/8" x 30 9/16".
The 4th printing is on 80# coated matte stock and has "W 2022" in the lower right hand margin. It was printed in 2022 by Wolfgang's in a 100 copy run. This reprint measures 18 15/8" x 28".
During his Fillmore era, from 1969-1971, Singer created more posters for Graham than any other artist. Singer's posters are notable for his use of collage, incorporating thousands of images clipped from magazines spanning several decades. He developed a format that included a stunning variety of lettering styles, applying them in close relation to the theme or subject of a poster.