It Ain't Hemingway

Up until about the 1960’s rock posters pretty much stayed the same, simple copy with a poorly lit picture of the entertainer. As the years go by the art of concert posters has emerged as true art, printed in bright colors with well-designed layouts and unique photography. Many of these posters are printed in short runs since many are meant to promote one or two shows taking place in a particular city. We’ve found some awesome posters that have been created for different bands by some of the most renowned concert poster artists. Feel free to mention or post pics of some of your favorite rock posters in our comment section. 

This Pearl Jam Poster was created for a concert that took place at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 2011. The opening act was Mudhoney. The artist for this poster is Emek, known for his stunning use of typography.

The Jane’s Addiction poster was for a “one night only” show at La Cita in downtown Los Angeles that took place on October 23, 2008. Frank Shepard Fairey is the brainchild behind his brand OBEY. He is the American street artist who is also responsible for the Obama HOPE poster.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience was a poster for a show being held at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, California on February 1, 1968. The poster was created by the late Richard Alden “Rick” Griffin who was known for his Psychedelic posters of the 60’s. Some may recognize his work from the Grateful Dead posters he created.

The wilco poster was created for the band’s 2007 ”Sky Blue Sky” European tour. The poster was designed by Mike Klay. Mike’s style is simple yet impactful. He keeps it clean using vector images and interesting color combinations.

The Radiohead poster was created for a concert performed on May 8, 2008, at the Cruzan Amphitheater in West Palm Beach Florida. Artist Jermaine Rogers created the edgy poster and has created other posters for such artists as Neil Young, Tool, Weezer, Tori Amos, and David Bowie.