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Splatt Gallery's History of Michigan Music Posters
MC5 - Page Eleven
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1971
Advertisement for Head Sound Studio in Ypsilanti, Michigan by an unknown artist in the January 7, 1971 issue of the Ann Arbor Argus newspaper The MC5 used the studio in October and November 1970 to begin to flesh out songs for their third album. At least two of the jams have made it onto bootleg albums. Power Trip evolved into the song Skunk, and The Pledge Song is an early version of Sister Anne.
MC5 – Power Trip (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIoQ21lKajQ
MC5 – The Pledge Song (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWh39N5OzkM
Pirate’s World was a themed amusement park that opened in Dania, Florida in April 1967 and was a major attraction until 1971 when Walt Disney World opened in Orlando and drew away most of the crowds. Rock concerts were featured at least as early as 1969, featuring Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, and many others.
The MC5, Alice Cooper, and Brownsville Station performed there on January 15-16, 1971.
A poster for the MC5, Alice Cooper, and Brownsville Station at Pirate’s World in Dania, Florida, January 15-16, 1971.
Very cool poster by an unknown artist for the MC5 at Sherwood Lodge in Loves Park, Illinois (not to be confused with Sherwood Forrest in Davidson, Michigan), February 19, 1971.
An ad in The Missouri Miner, the campus newspaper of the University of Missouri in Rolla, Missouri, for an appearance by the MC5 on February 24, 1971. Also shown as coming to UMR, just a few days earlier, is the guitar duo of two brothers known as Los Indios Tabajaras, seen in action in the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onz_iGTLpeI
An ad in the February 27, 1971 issue of Billboard magazine for Dave Leone’s Diversified Management Agency. Their three main acts were Alice Cooper, Amboy Dukes, and Brownsville Station, while “guest star” status was afforded to Bob Seger, Bob Hodge, Detroit Emeralds, MC5, Parliament-Funkadelic, Stooges, Teegarden & Van Winkle, and non-Michigan acts Flying Burrito Brothers, Seigel-Schwall, and New Jersey’s Wadsworth Mansion.
Nice incorporation of the band names, the MC5, Cactus, and Brownsville Station, in the illustration on this poster, by an unknown artist, for this show in Fort Worth, Texas, February 28, 1971.
In the Spring of 1971, a venue in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania called the Psyche-Dilly Lounge hosted a small parade of Michigan acts, starting with Cradle on March 19, 1971, the MC5 followed five days later on March 24, 1971, the Amboy Dukes on April 7th, and Iggy & the Stooges on May 5th.
The Vanity Ballroom was the cross-town sister to the Grande Ballroom, opening within a year of each other in 1928 and 1929, and both designed by the same architect, Charles N. Agree. Both ballrooms were on the second floors, above retail spaces, but while the Grande was designed in a Moorish Deco style, the Vanity was Art Deco with an Aztec theme.
Both ballrooms were developed by Edward Strata and both shared a similar history with the heyday of ballroom dancing in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s and the eventual decline and demise in the late ‘50’s. But while Russ Gibb re-opened the Grande in 1966, it wasn’t until 1971 that a group of investors attempted the same with the Vanity. The Grand Opening was April 13, 1971.
The opening night line-up was the Stooges, MC5, Mike Quatro Jam Band, Frut, and Werks (misspelled as Works).
Poster by artist Fred Vocino for the opening night of the Vanity Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan, April 13, 1971. It was the first show of the year for the Stooges, having taken a four-month break.
Inspired by the Aztec themed interior design of the Vanity Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan, we played around with the three different color versions of Fred Vocino’s flyers for the opening night on April 13, 1971, with “the Detroit sound” of the Stooges, MC5, Jam Band, Frut, and Works. The newspaper ad states. “Support Your Ballroom Underdog !!!”
An ad for MC5 and SRC at the Minneapolis Armory in Minnesota, April 16, 1971.
Poster by an unknown artist for the MC5 at Dewey’s in Madison, Wisconsin on May 15, 1971.
An ad for Dave Leone’s Diversified Management Agency in May 23, 1971.
Tucked away on the “Funnies” page of the June 11, 1971 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper was this single-panel comic by MC5 lead singer Rob Tyner.
Newspaper ad for an MC5 show that is not found in the database or the gateway, opening for the Velvet Underground and Buddy Miles at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri, June 16, 1971.
The events calendar from the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper showing Parliament-Funkadelic back in the USA, with an appearance at the Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan on June 18, 1971.
The impressive list of other acts that the calendar was tracking include, Alice Cooper, Amboy Dukes, Assemblage, Blue Scepter (formerly SRC), Boone’s Farm, Brat, Brownsville Station, Carnal Kitchen, Cecil, Collection, Cradle, Detroit (Mitch Ryder), Frijid Pink, Frut, Guardian Angel, Insanity’s Horse, Hollow Ground, Maxx, MC5 (in Bay City on June 15, 1971, and in Ontario on the 19th), Mr. Flood’s Party, Mutzie, Ormandy, Otis, Rumor, Silverhawk, Springwell, Parliament-Funkadelic, STV (Bob Seger, Teegarden & Van Winkle), Sunday Funnies, Tea, Third Power, Universe, UP, Virgin Dawn, Whiz Kids and Werks.
A flyer by “Rowland” for a show listed in the "Where It's At" page, for the MC5 at the Barrie Fair Grounds and Curling Rink in Barrie, Ontario, Canada on June 19, 1971.
MC5 at the Indiana University Auditorium in Bloomington, Indiana, June 25, 1971, poster by an unknown artist.
The MC5’s third album “High Time” was released on July 6, 1971. Lead singer Rob Tyner created this artwork which may have been intended for the album gatefold, but ended up only being used for promotional ads. Generally considered as an improvement over the band’s second album, it unjustly was a commercial failure, selling even fewer copies than the first two albums. It included what may be our favorite MC5 song “Sister Anne”, as well as this close runner-up.
MC5 – Over and Over (1971)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMGOg8vB4Dc
MC5 at the Masonic Temple in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, July 14, 1971. Michigan bands Sunday Funnies, Silver Hawk, and Catfish in the following weeks.
Gary Grimshaw poster for the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan, July 29, 1971. Bands were MC5, Frigid Pink, UP, Carnal Kitchen, and mystery band of the poster Trunion Brothers.
This was the first time in a year and a half, since January 1970, that MC5 was on a poster with John Sinclair and long-ago Trans-Love band mates UP.
The full-page natural habitat of the newsprint version of Gary Grimshaw’s poster for the "Free John Now" benefit dance concert with the MC5, Frijid Pink and UP at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan on July 29, 1971.
Gary Grimshaw handbill for the Free John Now! benefit a the Grande Ballroom in Detroit on July 29, 1971.
An ad for Wampler’s Lake Pavillion in Onsted, Michigan, with the MC5, Julia, and The Coming on July 31, 1971.
Regarding the week prior, when Iggy and James Williamson both quit the Stooges at the Toledo Arena on May 29th, the band was essentially broken up. The next two scheduled gigs, Pittsburgh and Hollywood, California, were cancelled, but for some reason the band was obliged to play this show at Wampler’s Lake Pavillion in Onsted, Michigan, July 24, 1971.
Ron and Scott Asheton, with bass player Jimmy Recca, took the stage but none of them wanted to sing so they asked if anybody in the crowd wanted to come up and be the singer. A fan named Steve Richards volunteered and not only could he sing, he knew all the words to the songs and could imitate Iggy fairly well.
Their next scheduled show for the Stooges, again at Wampler’s, for August 7th was cancelled, perhaps Steve Richards was unavailable
Newspaper ad and poster/flyer for a “Jam Night” at the Alley in Ann Arbor, Michigan, August 5, 1971, featuring members of the bands, MC5, SRC, Brat, Savage Grace, Guardian Angel, and Carnal Kitchen. Don't know which band members participated or how it went.
Poster by an unknown artist for the fifth weekend at The Park in North Baltimore, about twelve miles north of Finley, Ohio, August 7, 1971, with Michigan bands, MC5, Amboy Dukes, Bob Seger, Teegarden & Van Winkle, and Catfish. The poster does not have a show date, we are using the date on the the program newspaper.
Poster by Chad Hines for Wampler’s Lake Pavilion in Onsted, August, 28, 1971. Bands were MC5, Springwell, and Insanity’s Horse.
Poster for Alice Cooper with the MC5 in Miami, Florida on September 12, 1971.
Newspaper ad for Alice Cooper in Miami, Florida on September 12, 1971, “plus the Genius of MC5”.
Newspaper ad for Alice Cooper and MC5 with Reggie Truerabbit in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on September 17, 1971. The MC5 were held up at the border crossing from Detroit to Canada, arriving just as Alice Cooper was tuning up and were too late to perform.
Poster by an unknown artist for the Palladium in Birmingham, Michigan, September 18, 1971. Bands were MC5, Guardian Angel, and Suite Charity.
An ad for the Ritz Theatre in Staten Island, New York; sponsored by Ungano’s, with the MC5 opening for Bloodrock and Mandrill on September 25, 1971.
MC5 Poster History - continues - HERE
Poster/ad for Alice Cooper with the MC5 and Lee Michaels at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium, in Atlanta, Georgia, September 11, 1971. This is a missing show for the MC5 gateway timeline, which is noted on the timeline for September 1971 without a date or correct venue:
“Then they played w/ A.Cooper in Hollywood, Florida (?)”
An ad for the MC5 with Rare Earth, Cactus, and Alex Taylor at the Rochester War Memorial in Rochester, New York on May 29, 1971.
An ad for the MC5 performing two shows on April 3, 1971 at Gilligan’s in Cheektowaga, New York.
Announced as a “re-opening”, the Grande Ballroom, which had been dormant since the end of February, appeared to be back in business with this New Year’s Eve concert, December 31, 1970, with the MC5, Amboy Dukes, SRC, Jam Band, and Cradle on this poster by an unknown artist.
Cradle – Ted (live at the Grande Ballroom) (12/31/70)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ_KiuKHLWY
Newspaper ad by an unknown artist for the “re-opening”, the Grande Ballroom, New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1970.
Ticket stub for Alice Cooper with the MC5 and Lee Michaels at the Atlanta Municipal Auditorium, in Atlanta, Georgia, September 11, 1971.
A review of the MC5’s “High Time” album in the August 30, 1971 issue of The Rag in Austin, Texas, along with an interesting graphic for the Magic Mushroom store.
Rob Tyner’s “High Time” illustration as a full-page in the August 21, 1971 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper.
An ad for the Salvation records store with the MC5 “High Time” album in the July 23, 1971 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN.
A feature story in the July 23, 1971 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper noting the date of July 23 marked the capture of Pun Plamondon, Skip Taube, and Jack Forrest in 1970, the altercation of the MC5 at The Loft in 1968, and the start of the Detroit riot/rebellion in 1967.
A two-page review of the MC5’s “High Time” album by Frank Bach in the June 25, 1971 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper.
A short notice in the Rock And Roll Shorts column in the May 28, 1971 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN announcing the release of the third album by the MC5, “High Time”.
The special “Free John Now!” supplement to the May 28, 1971 issue of the Ann Arbor SUN included Frank Bach’s tribute and Dave Marsh’s testimonial.
The “Where It’s At!” column in the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper, listing four show dates for the MC5, starting with Rockford, Illinois on May 14, 1971, Madison, Wisconsin on May 15th, Appleton, Wisconsin on May 16th, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin on May 17th.
The “Where It’s At!” column in the Ann Arbor SUN newspaper, listing four show dates for the MC5, with Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio on May 1, 1971, and Roanoke, Virginia on May 7th.
A newspaper events calendar with MC5 and Mutzie opening for Paul Butterfield at the Eastown in Detroit on January 30, 1971. The night before, January 29, 1971, MC5 and Third Power opened for Canned Heat at the Eastown. Some sources have Third Power for both nights.
An ad for Diversified Management Agency, DMA, in the April 1, 1971 issue of the Fifth Estate newspaper.
The number of shows in 1970 dropped by about 40% from the peak year of 1969, Also, for the first time the MC5 played more shows out side of Michigan than in the state.
Stylish poster for an all-Michigan bands show in Atlanta, Georgia, December 29, 1970, with Amboy Dukes, MC5, and Bob Seger System.
Newspaper ad for the all-Michigan bands show in Atlanta, Georgia, December 29, 1970. “Detroit Rock is the Hardest, Loudest, Movingest Rock”. The sideways text states that radio station WPOL-FM would be broadcasting a “one hour special program on these groups” on Sunday night, two days before the concert.
Humorous (?) do-it-yourself concert review form for the all-Michigan bands show in Atlanta, Georgia, December 29, 1970, published in The Great Speckled Bird underground newspaper with a nice photo of the Seger System's drummer Pep Perrine's drum kit.
Rating choices for each group were:
MC5 – Bad, Poor, Awful
Bob Seger – alright, OK, killer, dynamite!
Amboy Dukes – sickening, atrocious, tasteless, all of the above
“All power to the people/Seize the Time/Kick Out the Jams”
