Jefferson Airplane Poster
The macabre thespian raged against a grievous affront: the Grateful Dead, pointedly absent from the billing, were busted in New Orleans for marijuana possession. The fine print at the top of the poster indicated that this was a benefit concert for the band.
The 1st printing red, orange and gray poster was printed before the concert. It measures 13 7/8" x 20 15/16".
The all gray 1st printing variant (see BG222-B) was also printed before the concert. It measures 14" x 21 3/4".
The 2nd printing is on smooth glossy stock and has a Wolfgang's Vault notation in the lower right hand margin. It was printed in 2010 by the Bill Graham Archives LLC in a 500 copy run. This reprint measures 24 1/4" x 37".
The 3rd printing is on uncoated matte stock and has "W 2020" in the lower right hand margin. It was printed in 2020 by Wolfgang's in a 500 copy run. This reprint measures 13" x 20".
Randy Tuten is the only poster artist whose work spans five decades of design for The Fillmore. The 23 year-old San Francisco native was hired by Bill Graham in January, 1969, and their mutual taste for traditional, readable design style led to a long-lasting work relationship. Although influenced by the compositions of "Fillmore Five" artists Mouse, Kelley and Griffin, Tuten avoided "... Heavy meaning in my posters." Tuten's style reflected his skill as a draftsman, and his designs evolved into an eclectic mix of graphic imagery, lettering and photographs.