The Band Poster
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BG169 announced the first-ever live performance of the Band, and artist Tuten was in the audience. The performance would be remembered for many reasons, not the least of which was the two-hour delay caused by lead guitarist Robbie Robertson's mysterious illness. Bill Graham stalled the crowd and pulled in a hypnotist to work on Robertson. It worked.
The 1st printing poster is identified by its lack of the "W" seen in the reprint at the end of the ticket outlets strip. It was printed before the concert and measures 13 11/16" x 20 3/4".
The 2nd printing has a black "W" etched into the poster at the end of the ticket outlets strip after the word "Music". It was printed after the concert and measures 13 3/4" x 20 3/4".
The 3rd printing is on smooth opaque cover stock, omits the "W" that is on the 2nd printing, and has a Wolfgang's Vault notation in the lower right hand margin. It was printed in 2006 by the Bill Graham Archives LLC in a 1000 copy run. This reprint measures 14 3/4" x 22 3/8".
The 4th printing is on glossy cover stock and also bears a Wolfgang's Vault notation in the lower right hand margin. It was printed in 2006 by the Bill Graham Archives LLC in a 1000 copy run, and is larger than the other printings, measuring 21 1/2" x 32 1/2".
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.