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Splatt Gallery's History of Michigan Music Posters
Volume Twelve - 1976 - Page Six
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Tour poster for Thin Lizzy around the time of their show at Ford Auditorium in Detroit, Michigan, opening for Pavlov’s Dog, on May 14, 1976, and here is an audio recording of their set:
Thin Lizzy – Live in Detroit, Michigan (6/14/76)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3PJFn7m2aQ
A full-page ad in the May 15, 1976 issue of Billboard magazine for Hamilton Bohannon’s “Dance Your Ass Off” album.
Hamilton Bohannon – Dance Your Ass Off (1976)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyl2gkT1gFs
The full-page Capitol Records ad in the May 15, 1976 issue of Billboard magazine for the release of Bob Seger’s “Live Bullet” album. Although it peaked only as high as #34 on the album chart, it was selling better and faster than any of his previous albums.
Here is the lead-off track and the first single released off the album:
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band – Nutbush City Limit (live) (1976)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw3nOPOIAsU
An ad for a TV special on the Bay City Rollers that aired in Detroit, Michigan on May 15, 1976. The band would make its only Michigan appearance (pre-reunions) in August 1976.
The inside front cover of the May 1976 issue of CREEM magazine with tour dates for Leon & Mary Russell, in support of their album “Wedding Album”, the couple had tied the knot in June 1975. Mary, formerly Mary McCreary, had been a member of the Little Sisters, Sly and the Family Stone’s background vocalists.
The video below is from their appearance on Saturday Night Live, just two nights before performing at Cobo Arena in Detroit on May 17, 1976.
Leon & Mary Russell – Satisfy You (Saturday Night Live TV show) (5/15/76)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNaTyTO_0ow
Poster/ad for Foghat with Bob Seger and UFO at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan on May 19, 1976.
A full-page Chrysalis Records ad for the British band UFO, with tour dates that include four Michigan shows, in Kalamazoo on May 19, 1976, in Flint on May 26th, in Saginaw on May 28th, and in Detroit on June 1st.
An interesting ad for Lynyrd Skynyrd with Ted Nugent in Louisville, Kentucky on May 19, 1976.
An ad for Bad Company with Wet Willie at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan on May 20, 1976.
A full-page Casablanca Records ad in the May 22, 1976 issue of Billboard magazine for Parliament’s “Mothership Connection” album.
An ad for REO Speedwagon at the Lansing Civic Center in Lansing, Michigan on May 25, 1976. The show, however, was postponed apparently due to problems with the sound equipment.
Another great poster from Grand Valley State Colleges in Allendale, Michigan, for Harry Chapin on May 27, 1976.
A full-page A&M Records ad for the band Nazareth with tour dates including two Michigan shows, in Saginaw on May 28, 1976 and in Detroit on June 1st.
Nazareth – Love Hurts (1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_1LP3Z6pW4
A full-page Capitol Records ad in the May 29, 1976 issue of Billboard magazine announcing Bob Seger’s upcoming show at the Pontiac Stadium (later known as the Silverdome) in Pontiac (not Detroit), Michigan. The new facility was frequently touted for its 80,000 audience capacity, but the concert seating was often configured so that 60,000 was also a sell-out crowd.
It would not be until the Led Zeppelin show in April 1977 that the record-setting single show indoor attendance of 80,400 would be achieved. For the shows that we have covered so far, the figures were:
The Who – December 6, 1975 = 76,000
Elvis Presley – December 31, 1975 = 60,000
Aerosmith, Foghat, Ted Nugent – May 8, 1976 = 77,000
Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band – June 26, 1976 = 59,000
The very first event at the stadium had been a Detroit Lions football game, which was the main purpose for the venue, in a pre-season exhibition match against the Kansas City Chiefs on August 23, 1975, a crowd of 62,000 watched the Lions win 27-24, with 3 touchdowns coming in the last quarter. The attendance for the first 14-game season averaged about 60,000 per game.
Newspaper ad for Parliament Funkadelic with Rare Earth, Buddy Miles, and Bootsy’s Rubber Band at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 29, 1976.
An ad for Toby Redd at Westside-6 in Redford, Michigan through May 30, 1976, with the bands White Wolf and Stonebridge on the upcoming schedule.
Chances Are in Ann Arbor, Michigan changed their name to Second Chance on May 31, 1976. The first show under the new name took place the next night when Herman’s Hermits appeared on June 1st.
“The End” by Jim Shaw of Destroy All Monsters, published in Issue #5 of Lightworks magazine, June 1976.
“Niagara 1976” photo by David Keeps.
In the summer of 1976, Jim Shaw and Mike Kelley left Ann Arbor and Destroy All Monsters for California. The Miller brothers, Ben, Larry and Roger of the Ann Arbor band Sproton Layer, whom we’ve documented previously, were recruited into Destroy All Monsters with Niagara and Cary Loren, giving the group more emphasis on the music.
“Color Xerox” by Jim Shaw of Destroy All Monsters, 1976.
“The Sleep of Reason” by Jim Shaw of Destroy All Monsters, published in Issue #5 of Lightworks magazine, June 1976.
“In the Clutches of Evil” by Mike Kelley of Destroy All Monsters, 1976.
“Der Satan und die Morder Madchen, Lou Reed, Ugly Monster stickers, Manson, Niagara and Religious Cards” by Cary Loren of Destroy All Monsters, 1976.
“Pandora’s Box” by Niagara of Destroy All Monsters, 1976.
A full-page Island Records ad for the “Rastaman Vibration” album by Bob Marley & the Wailers in the June 1976 issue of CREEM magazine, with a full-page color photo of Marley by David Burnett that accompanied Part One of a two-part story “Innocents in Babylon” by Lester Bangs in the same issue.
Patti Smith with DJ Dan Carlisle in the WWWW-FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan on the cover of the Extra CREEM supplement in the June 1976 issue of CREEM magazine.
Alice Cooper recorded some public service announcements promoting birth control information which ran on WABX-FM radio in Detroit, Michigan in June 1976, and apparently some posters as well.
The cover of Vol.4 No.22 issue of “entertainment one” magazine with a photo of the band Zooster, appearing at Leone’s Lounge and Arcade in Lincoln Park, Michigan, June 1-12, 1976.
An ad for Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band at the Joker in Elyria, Ohio on June 3, 1976, next to a more attractive ad for a Brothers Johnson concert.
A poster for Parliament Funkadelic in San Diego, California on June 4, 1976, with a (mis-spelled) listing for Bootsy’s Rubber Band seven days earlier than the Tulsa poster, making this the earliest Rubber Band show so far.
Poster/ad by Lansing-area mystery unknown artist “G” for an alternative celebration of the Bicentennial, in Lansing, Michigan on June 4, 1976.
Poster by Marty Agosta for Sonic’s Rendezvous Band at Chances Are in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 7, 1976. The venue had changed their name to Second Chance just a week before this show. The poster lists Ron Cooke on bass.
Poster by Train Printing & Poster Company of Seattle, Washington, for Bob Seger and Mahogany Rush opening for Blue Oyster Cult in Medford, Oregon on June 7, 1976.
A backstage pass for Bob Seger and Mahogany Rush opening for Blue Oyster Cult in Medford, Oregon on June 7, 1976, with one of the more unusual mis-spellings of Seger’s last name.
An ad for Second Chance (formerly Chances Are) in Ann Arbor, Michigan with Jr. Walker on June 8, 1976, followed by Mighty Joe Young and Luther Allison.
A University Cellar ad with a record sale tie-in to a show by Jr. Walker at Second Chance in Ann Arbor on June 8, 1976.
An ad with a rare photo of the Mojo Boogie Band, appearing at The Roadhouse outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan, June 9, 1976.
A red, white and blue Globe Poster for Parliament Funkadelic in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 11, 1976, with the Brass Construction and, for the second time on any poster that we’ve found so far, Bootsy’s Rubber Band.
Newspaper ad for the J. Geils Band at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan on June 11, 1976, including the “Detroit Comeback of the New York Dolls”. It had been two years since the Dolls last performed in Michigan, going back to 1974 when they played at least six shows in the state. Also of notice is the promotion of lead singer David Johansen.
This was a New York Dolls in disintegration, the band had actually called it quits in April 1975, but Johansen and guitarist Sylvain Sylvain threw together another unit for a tour of Japan and for this final 30+ shows tour. A fight led to the band abandoning their keyboardist Chris Robison the night before the Cobo show. The Saginaw show was cancelled and the Dolls made their final Michigan appearance in Ann Arbor on June 14th. Their last-ever show was at Max’s Kansas City in NYC on December 30, 1976.
A full-page RCA Records ad for a national tour by the L.A. Jets. The tour brought them to Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan on June 11, 1976, in their only known Michigan appearance, opening for the J. Geils Band and the New York Dolls. Singer Karen Lawrence was later in the bands 1994 and Blue By Nature.
An ad for the Fantastic Four at Ethel’s Cocktail Lounge in Detroit, Michigan, June 11-13, 1976.
Poster/ad by an unknown artist for a benefit show for the Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 13, 1976, featuring John Prine, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Leon Redbone, among others.
An amazing poster for Paul McCartney & Wings in San Francisco, California, June 13-14, 1976, from the combined efforts of Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley and Randy Tuten.
Multiple color versions of the poster by Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley and Randy Tuten for Paul McCartney & Wings in San Francisco, California, June 13-14, 1976.
The night after they opened for the J. Geils Band in Detroit, the New York Dolls performed at Second Chance in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 14, 1976. It would be the last time that the Dolls would appear in Michigan (that is, until the 21st century, when every band that ever existed starting doing reunions).
During the four years of their original career, the New York Dolls performed at least ten Michigan shows, six of those in 1974. The group that had been voted both the best and the worst new group of 1973 in a CREEM magazine reader’s poll performed their final show, back in New York City, on December 30, 1976.
The night after they opened for the J. Geils Band in Detroit, the New York Dolls performed at Second Chance in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 14, 1976, their only Ann Arbor appearance, and apparently Fred Smith found his way onto the stage. It would be the last time that the Dolls would appear in Michigan (that is, until the 21st century, when every band that ever existed starting doing reunions).
During the four years of their original career, the New York Dolls performed at least ten Michigan shows, six of those in 1974. The group that had been voted both the Best and the Worst New Group of 1973 in a CREEM magazine reader’s poll performed their final show, back in New York City, on December 30, 1976.
Poster/ad for the J. Geils Band at the Lansing Civic Center in Lansing, Michigan on June 14, 1976. Openers REO Speedwagon were making up for their cancelled May appearance.
From the Apollo Theater to Las Vegas to the silver screen, Diana Ross added Broadway to her list of entertainment milestones when she presented her one-woman show “An Evening with Diana Ross” for a 16-show engagement at The Palace Theatre in New York City that opened on June 14, 1976. It garnered rave reviews and, as noted on the above poster, broke the theatre’s box office record.
The show’s Broadway success led to a touring engagement, a live album, a TV special and a special Tony Award, all of which we will cover in 1977.
Cover and pages from the playbill from the opening night of Diana Ross’ Broadway show.
Cover of Jet magazine with the story of Diana Ross’ Broadway show.
Poster for the “Vancouver Indoor 300” in Vancouver, Canada, so named because it offered “over 300 minutes of screaming rock & roll”, including Blue Oyster Cult, Bob Seger, Mahogany Rush and Nils Lofgren on June 15, 1976.
Illustration of Gil Scott-Heron by Gary Grimshaw, and cartoon by Gary Kell imposed onto the cover of the June 17, 1976 issue of the SUN newspaper in Detroit, Michigan with a story about the book “We Almost Lost Detroit” by John Fuller, which also became a song by Scott-Heron.
Gil Scott Heron - We almost Lost Detroit (1977)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpNUqNe0U5g
Volume Twelve - 1976 - continues - HERE
