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Eric Burdon and War - Santana - Buddy Miles

Poster
1971 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

David Singer produced more posters for Bill Graham and the Fillmore than any other Fillmore artist: 66 in total. He was the last artist to produce an original series for the Fillmore, working between 1969 and 1971. His designs rely on the use of photographic collage to produce fantastic and often surreal scenes.

In this poster, Singer has used a children’s literary character, Puss in Boots, derived from a 19th-century engraving by Gustave Doré used to illustrate the story in Tom Hood’s Fairy Realm of 1865. The cat, who swipes at a woman wearing a winged helmet and riding an eagle, is incongruously set within what looks like a stage set with a map of the United States as a back-drop. The poster is at once eerie and humorous, and plays with childhood memories of fairytales. This, and its association with surrealism relates to the perception that experiences of LSD produce similar effects in the mind of the user during a ‘trip’.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleEric Burdon and War - Santana - Buddy Miles (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Colour offset lithograph
Brief description
"Eric Burdon and War - Santana - Buddy Miles" psychedelic poster #275 by Singer. USA, 1971.
Physical description
Psychedelic poster advertising a concert for Eric Burdon and War, Santana, and Buddy Miles. The design features an engraving of Puss in Boots, and a woman wearing a winged helmet and riding an eagle, collaged into a stage set with a map of the United States as a backdrop. The event details are printed below in three columns, in black, stylised letters; 'Eric Burdon and War, J. Geils Band, also War, Lights by Deadly Nightshade, 25-26 March 27-28, Fillmore West. Santana playing two sets nightly (other acts to be announced). Lights by Heavy Water, 26 March 27, Winterland. Buddy Miles, Wayne Cochran and the C. C. Riders, also Sugarloaf. Lights by Little Princess 109. 1-2 April 3-4, Fillmore West'. The image is printed in blue and white, while the rest of the poster is black on dark-red.
Dimensions
  • Height: 71cm
  • Width: 53.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'ERIC BURDON / AND WAR / J. GEILS BAND / ALSO WAR / LIGHTS BY DEADLY NIGHTSHADE / 25-26 MARCH 27-28 / FILLMORE WEST / SANTANA / PLAYING TWO SETS NIGHTLY / (OTHER ACTS / TO BE ANNOUNCED) / LIGHTS BY HEAVY WATER / 26 MARCH 27 / WINTERLAND / BUDDY MILES / WAYNE COCHRAN / AND THE C. C. RIDERS / ALSO SUGARLOAF / LIGHTS BY LITTLE PRINCESS 109 / 1-2 APRIL 3-4 / FILLMORE WEST' (Event and venue details, printed below the image in three columns, in black, stylised letters)
  • ' TICKETS / © BILL GRAHAM 1971 # 275 TEA LAUTREC LITHO - SAN FRANCISCO / ALL MACY'S TICKET OUTLETS SAN FRANCISCO - FOX PLAZA BOX OFFICE NINTH & MARKET - CITY LIGHTS BOOKSTORE 261 COLUMBUS AVE / THE TOWN SQUIRE 1318 POLK ST - OUTSIDE IN 2544 MISSION BERKELEY - DISCOUNT RECORDS - / SHAKESPEARE & CO SAUSALITO - THE TIDES REDWOOD CITY - REDWOOD HOUSE OF MUSIC SAN MATEO - TOWN & COUNTRY RECORDS SAN JOSE - DISCOUNT RECORDS MENLO PARK - DISCOUNT RECORDS SAN RAFAEL - RECORD KING / SINGER' (Ticket vendors, printer and artist details, printed in stylised black letters.)
Credit line
Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko
Subjects depicted
Summary
David Singer produced more posters for Bill Graham and the Fillmore than any other Fillmore artist: 66 in total. He was the last artist to produce an original series for the Fillmore, working between 1969 and 1971. His designs rely on the use of photographic collage to produce fantastic and often surreal scenes.

In this poster, Singer has used a children’s literary character, Puss in Boots, derived from a 19th-century engraving by Gustave Doré used to illustrate the story in Tom Hood’s Fairy Realm of 1865. The cat, who swipes at a woman wearing a winged helmet and riding an eagle, is incongruously set within what looks like a stage set with a map of the United States as a back-drop. The poster is at once eerie and humorous, and plays with childhood memories of fairytales. This, and its association with surrealism relates to the perception that experiences of LSD produce similar effects in the mind of the user during a ‘trip’.
Bibliographic reference
Bill Graham Presents: the art of the Fillmore - The Poster Series 1966-1971. Lemke and Kastor. Petaluma: Acid Test Productions. 1997.
Other numbers
  • LS.894 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
  • # 275 - Poster number
Collection
Accession number
E.541-2004

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Record createdNovember 9, 2004
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