Welcome to Part 4 of : When Concert Posters Were An Art Form!
By the mid-70's, punk rock had emerged
and had an impact on the artistic style of concert posters.
The artists creating the music, fashion and visual art
adhered to a style based in minimalism that reflected
the angst of young people and their dissatisfaction with society.
Like the cultural revolution of the 60's,
the cultural impact of punk rock defined a certain
nihilistic ethos within the world of rock & roll.
The punk era in rock & roll,
while as vibrant a movement
as the one in the free love 60's
did not become a national phenomenon in the US.
The hot spots of punk were largely confined to
large urban areas such as New York city and Los Angeles.
In many other areas of the United States,
punk rock morphed into what was called "New Wave"
which in some ways struck me as a
suburban version of punk rock.
Instead of black leather jackets & ripped blue jeans,
the musical angst was empowered by suit jackets & skinny ties!
Here are some posters from the punk era.
It's interesting to note that some established musicians
seemed to co-opt the punk art style in an apparent effort
to make a connection to a younger audience
Lou Reed
Rainbow Theatre, London UK 1976
Sex Pistols, The Damned
Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers and The Clash
Various Venues in the UK 1976
Wayne County & Tuff Darts
CBGB's, NYC 1976
RamonesCBGB's, NYC 1976
Dead Boys & MumpsStarwood, Los Angeles, CA 1977
Dead KennedysChiefs, Red Cross & Stains
The Fleetwood, Redondo Beach, CA 1977
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
The Bottom Line, NYC 1977
T Rex & The DamnedBirmingham Odeon, Birmingham, UK 1977
Blondie, Talking Heads,
Patti Smith Group and Alex Chilton
Village Gate, NYC 1977
Bruce SpringsteenNashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN 1978
The Clash & The SlitsUK Tour 1978
XRay Spex, Black Slate, Dead Fingers Talk & The Sadista SistersThe Roundhouse, London UK 1978
Ramones & Talking HeadsGermany 1978
The Specials & The Sinceros
Tiffany's, Edinburgh UK 1979
John Mayall
Cains Ballroom, Tulsa OK 1979
Kiss & Rush
Rockford Armory, Rockford IL 1979
The Police
Hotel Diplomat Ballroom, NYC 1979
Black Flag & The Dead KennedysMahubay Gardens, Los Angeles CA 1979
Iggy Pop & The Human LeagueParadiso, Amsterdam Netherlands 1979
The Plugz, Fly Boys & Smart PillsLa Vida Hot Springs Restaurant, Los Angeles CA 1979
Germs, Der Stab & Middle ClassFleetwood, Los Angeles CA 1980
Ramones & The Clash
Friars Maxwell Hall, Aylesbury UK 1980
The Dead Kennedys & The Circle Jerks
Whisky A Go Go, Los Angeles CA 1980
Talking Heads
Paris, France 1980
John Cale
Boomer Theatre, Norman, OK 1980
