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Splatt Gallery's History of Michigan Concert Posters
Volume Six - 1970 - Page Fifteen
The last show for the season at Wampler’s Lake Pavilion by the comic-book appropriating unknown artist, with SRC, Plain Brown Wrapper, Julia, Ormandy, and the Knife, September 5, 1970.
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A full-page Rare Earth Records ad in the September 5, 1970 issue of Billboard magazine.
Movie night on the campus of Wayne State University in Detroit, September 5-6, 1970 with poster by an unknown artist, sponsored by the White Panther Party.
What would have been a killer festival just outside Austin, Texas, September 5-7, 1970, featuring seven Michigan bands, Alice Cooper, MC5, Rare Earth, Amboy Dukes, Stooges, Third Power, and Brownsville Station, was cancelled due to objections by the locals.
Poster by an unknown artist for Grand Funk Railroad with Bloodrock and Chakra at Lake Spivey Park in Jonesboro, Georgia on September 6, 1970.
On September 8, 1970, Alice Cooper was booked at the oddly named venue in New York City called Max’s Kansas City. Max’s was owned by Micky Ruskin, a lawyer who had successfully run a coffeehouse, and a later a bar, that both became magnets for poets and artists. For his next venture, he wanted to open a steak restaurant, and the name was chosen on input from his group of poet friends, the best steaks in the country were associated with Kansas City. The steaks at the new restaurant, however, didn’t quite live up to the name and the place became better known for its backroom gatherings and for the live music and dancing upstairs.
Two significant events happened for Alice Cooper at this gig. The first was that, from their hotel room, the band had a view of the City Center Theater which was displaying a large poster that caught the eye of bass player Dennis Dunaway, of a clown with spidery eye make-up. After some cajoling, even going over to theater to grab a program, Dunaway convinced Alice to take some of the band’s meager funds over to the drugstore to buy some eyeliner.
The second thing was that this was the show where a young producer named Bob Ezrin first saw the band perform. As we mentioned earlier, Frank Zappa had sold his Straight label to Warner Bros. Records with the Alice Cooper band having one album remaining on their original three-record deal. The first album had not sold well and the second had done even worse. Cooper’s manager Shep Gordon was trying to get his friend, producer Jack Richardson, who successfully produced albums for the Guess Who, to produce the band’s critical last shot at a hit record. Richardson remained unimpressed, but finally conceded to send his assistant Ezrin to check out the band and get Gordon off his back.
Billboard magazine wrote a review of the September 8th show at Max’s, in the typical, not-quite-sure what to make of it style, the music described as “rather tame and thin”, the theatrics that either repulsed you or pulled you in, concluding that it was “perfect to shuffle numb to”, and mentioning one new song in particular “(I’m Eighteen)” as “clever but forgettable as the early Beatles”. As we’ve heard before, you either loved them or hated them, and Bob Ezrin loved them. He met the band backstage after the show and excitedly told them so, mentioning that he especially liked the song “Edgy”, and that he wanted to produce their record. The band looked at the kid, probably still too young to legally drink, and said “ok”, and after he left, they cracked up about “Edgy”.
Elvis Presley, in his first visit to Detroit in more than thirteen years, at the Olympia Stadium, September 11, 1970. It was his first tour in twelve years, a short six-city jaunt, presenting his Vegas-style show that he had honed during a year of shows in Las Vegas.
When Elvis played the Olympia in 1957, it was with the classic Scotty, Bill and DJ combo, and Elvis was about to enter the army. Although that group was unmatchable, Elvis had assembled an all-star cast of musicians who became known as the TCB (Taking Care of Business) band, and according to the reviews, he had lost none of his power. The Detroit Free Press reported, “Evidently, 1956 wasn’t that long ago…fathers worry about your daughters.”
Grateful Dead tapers ain’t got nothing over the Elvis fan recording network. If so interested, here is a nearly complete compilation of recordings of every Elvis Presley show from 1969 – 1977.
http://www.elvisconcerts.com/cdr/cdr.php?search_year=1970
This is the one from Detroit, September 11, 1970.
Poster by Carol Ann for the Palladium in Birmingham, Michigan, with Amboy Dukes, All The Lonely People, Shakey Jake, and Frost and Julia, September 11-12, 1970.
The MC5 continued their sporadic trips to the East Coast, here appearing in Springfield, Massachusetts, September 11-12, 1970. Also of note, that by this time, two Boston bands, the Hallucinations and Snoopy & the Sopwith Camels, had merged to become the J. Geils Band, a group that would come to regard Detroit as their second home.
A Motown records family tree in the September 12, 1970 Billboard magazine Buyer’s Guide.
A full-page Hot Wax Records ad in the September 12, 1970 issue of Billboard magazine for the single "Somebody's Been Sleeping" by 100 Proof (Aged In Soul). Hot Wax was one of two labels, along with Invictus Records, formed by Holland-Dozier-Holland after they left Motown Records.
100 Proof (Aged in Soul) – Somebody’s Been Sleeping (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QP_T240guM
Full-page Capitol Records ad in the September 12, 1970 issue of Billboard magazine for the Mongrel album by the Bob Seger System which uses a cropped version of the photo by Tom Weschler that appeared on the back cover of the album.
The back cover artwork for the Bob Seger System album “Mongrel”, with the uncropped version of Tom Weschler’s photograph that was used in the print ads, showing a bit of drummer Pep Perrine’s unique kit.
An ad by an unknown artist for the Head Sound recording studio in Ypsilanti, Michigan, published in the September 12, 1970 issue of Billboard magazine.
The September 13, 1970 issue of The Sun with cover by writer and photographer Detroit Annie, who had been part of the Detroit contingency at The Berkeley Tribe newspaper, now like the others, back home in Michigan.
Poster by Al Shamie (Bad Dog) on the front cover of the September 16, 1970 issue of The Ann Arbor Argus newspaper.
Although the newspaper Sun/Dance was the official national publication of the White Panther Party, they still remained closely affiliated with The Ann Arbor Argus as well, which also had some national distribution through the Underground Press Syndicate and the Liberation News Service. Poster by Gary Grimshaw, published as the back page of the September 16, 1970 edition of the Argus newspaper.
The opening weekend of The Odyssey bar in Ann Arbor, Michigan, September 17-19, 1970, five months earlier than any of the shows in the concert database.
Poster/handbill for the Palladium in Birmingham, Michigan, September 18, 1970, by artist Carol Ann, with Chicken Shack, Third Power, and Magic.
Magic were a band from Lansing, Michigan, formerly known as Next Exit. In early 1969, they enlisted guitar player Joey Murcia, a session player from Miami, Florida, who moved the band to Florida and released their first album “Enclosed” on their own Armadillo label. In the summer of 1970, they moved back to Lansing where DJ and promoter Scott Regan got them signed to the Motown-owned Rare Earth label.
Magic – Enclosed (album) (1969)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH2GpBp8d-w
A second version of the poster/handbill by Carol Ann for the Palladium in Birmingham, Michigan, with the addition of a show on the 19th with Flock and Brownsville Station. The band Magic is dropped or missed from the first night's line-up.
The Flock was a Chicago band that featured violinist Jerry Goodman who later joined the Mahavishnu Orchestra.
The Flock – Big Bird (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcLO0U_KXmE
The world was shocked to learn that on September 18, 1970, Jimi Hendrix passed away. He was 27 years old.
Illustration and eulogy for Jimi Hendrix by Detroit Annie, published in The Berkeley Tribe newspaper.
Detroit Annie’s eulogy for Jimi Hendrix, as published in The Ann Arbor Argus newspaper.
Jimi Hendrix had performed in Michigan five times, from the small Fifth Dimension club in Ann Arbor, August 15, 1967 to Cobo Arena in Detroit, May 2, 1969. In between, during 1968, he came to the IMA Auditorium in Flint, and to Masonic and Cobo Arena in Detroit.
Tribute poster from the Chicago Seed, by way of the L.A. Free Press, marking the passing of Jimi Hendrix.
Issue #7 of Big Fat magazine in Ann Arbor, Michigan, obviously printed after the passing of Jimi Hendrix, which was on September 18, 1970. This appears to be the final issue of the magazine. The cover photo was taken by photographer Tom Copi from when Hendrix had made his first Michigan appearance, at the Fifth Dimension club in Ann Arbor on August 15, 1967.
Only known Michigan appearance by the Minneapolis band Crow, at the Saginaw Auditorium, with All The Lonely People, the Woolies, and Proud Flesh, September 18, 1970 on this poster by artist Dennis Preston.
Crow had a national top-twenty hit with their song “Evil Woman” near the end of 1969. Just as the song was at its peak in the US, in January 1970, the British band Black Sabbath released a cover version as Sabbath’s first single in the UK.
Crow – Evil Woman (1969)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz7-Sq1CDH8
The Moody Blues, with their sixth appearance in Michigan. Since their last visit to the state, the band had achieved their first gold album and by the end of the year, four more of their albums would reach that same status, so they were at the peak of their popularity, prompting their graduation to the larger arenas, such as Cobo on September 18, 1970. Why the time for the start of the show is “Detroit Time” is unknown.
Damn, we really wish someone had made posters for the Eastown Theater. So many great, multi-act bills, some acts that never performed in Michigan other than at the Eastown, so many missed opportunities for great posters.
This appears to be the marquee for shows on September 18-19, 1970. There is some confusion in the database because Mountain also played the Eastown on December 18-19, 1970 as well. The database does not include Humble Pie with either of those dates, perhaps they cancelled, but according the events calendars in The Fifth Estate newspapers, the September dates do include Humble Pie and the December dates do not. Adding to the confusion, opening act Mylon opened both dates, although they are misspelled as “Milan” in the database December shows. Cradle is shown as an opening act only for the September shows in both the database and The Fifth Estate.
We believe that Mylon is Mylon LeFevre, the Christian rocker who, despite some bad behavior during the 1970’s, pioneered the “Jesus Rock” genre.
Mylon – Old Gospel Ship (1969)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6vDtEVvvNk
A night of Michigan bands at The Warehouse in New Orleans, September 19, 1970. Some accounts say that the Stooges did not appear, but others, including some that were at the show, say that they were there.
The Stooges did appear the next day, in Windsor, Canada, September 20, 1970, their first Canadian appearance, with the Amboy Dukes, SRC, Brownsville Station, and Blues Train, on this poster/handbill that re-uses the image from a poster by Linz for the Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods, Michigan in March 1970.
A poster for the “Berlin Airlift” show at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC on September 20, 1970, featuring Grand Funk Railroad, Pacific Gas & Electric, Allman Brothers, Crow, and others.
Newspaper ad for the “Berlin Airlift” at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC on September 20, 1970 with headliners Grand Funk Railroad. The promoters had a hard time pulling off this show. It was originally scheduled for July 25th with Steppenwolf instead of GFR but was held up by a court injunction. Then it was scheduled to take place in Ocean City, Maryland on September 18th, which was denied by an Eastern shore District Court Judge. The promoters scrambled to get it back at RFK Stadium by providing their own security.
Another of the Grand Rapids area venues, the 44th Street Armory in Wyoming, Michigan, with a small ad by an unknown artist for Phlegethon, Generation Gap, and Third Power opening for Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen, September 24, 1970.
Gary Grimshaw illustration on the cover of the September 25, 1970 issue of the Berkeley Barb newspaper in Berkeley, California.
Poster by Dennis Preston, for Big Brother & the Holding Company headlining at Saginaw Auditorium, September 25, 1970, with Plain Brown Wrapper, Touch Stone, and American Breed.
Freda Payne on the cover of the September 25, 1970 issue of the British music magazine Blues & Soul.
Poster artist Chad Hines, with the beginning of a series of work for the Palladium in Birmingham, Michigan, for Johnny Winter with UP and Shakey Jake on September 26, 1970. Along with artist Carol Ann, Hines created the bulk of the posters for the Palladium, the one venue that consistently produced great posters.
A full-page Motown Records ad in the September 26, 1970 issue of Billboard magazine for the two Four Tops albums released in 1970, “Changing Times” and “Still Waters Run Deep”.
A full-page Motown Records ad in the September 26, 1970 issue of Billboard magazine touting the company’s expertise with eight-track tapes, by this time the most popular tape format in the US.
A colorful example of the most popular tape format in the US.
This poster for Alice Cooper in Richmond, Virginia, September 27, 1970 is notable for a number of reasons. Opening band, Richmond’s looney Titfield Thunderbolt, named after a 1953 British comedy film, are apparently still around (and still looney), the poster is by E. Dietrick Franz, who is also apparently still around (and still artistic), and the Squeezo Light Brigade may no longer exist, but this light show company was an integral part of early Bruce Springsteen shows.
Titfield Thunderbolt – Born on the Wrong Planet (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah6ZMFS4alE
A second poster for Alice Cooper at the String Factory in Richmond, Virginia on September 27, 1970.
A full back-cover photo of Iggy from the September 27, 1970 issue of ROCK magazine.
An ad for the New Orleans House in Berkeley, California with Commander Cody appearing on September 28, 1970, and an ad for the Matrix in San Francisco with John Lee Hooker appearing September 29 through October 3rd.
We’ve only seen a few tantalizing glimpses of the Motor City Rock Roll News, a short-lived (four issues, as far as we know) stapled-page flyer that is bound to have some art and interesting information contained within. Here are two pages from Issue #1, dated September 28, 1970 – October 12, 1970.
A Discount Records ad in the September 28, 1970 edition of the Michigan Daily newspaper in Ann Arbor, Michigan (color added) for the third, and unfortunately last, album by Frost on Vanguard Records called “Through the Eyes of Love”. The album cover art is by poster artist David Byrd. The complete album can heard at the link below, which also has two bonus tracks
of twenty minutes of a live recording.
Frost - Through The Eyes Of Love (Full Album with two live tracks) (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7_QHQkaVng
George Clinton released the debut album by Parliament, called “Osmium”, in September 1970. There had already been two Funkadelic albums released earlier in the year. Legal technicalities prevented Clinton from further recording as Parliament until 1974 (but a lot more Funkadelic records coming until then).
Parliament – Osmium (album) (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEfF78XOxzA
A very nice promo poster for Parliament – Funkadelic using an out-take from the photo shoot for the cover of the debut album by Parliament, called “Osmium”, released in September 1970.
The first Parliament album, Osmium, was released on the Invictus label, which was started by Holland-Dozier-Holland after they left Motown Records. H-D-H gave George Clinton full reign to do his thang, while they continued to score hits, (enlisting the back-door support of moonlighting Funk Brothers), for several artists on the label.
8th Day – She’s Not Just Another Woman (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaP-Q_q0KOo
Chairmen of the Board – You Got Me Dangling on a String (1970)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkhnm4JXPOA
The end of the 1970 summer season of free concerts and festivals. Here’s a ten-minute clip of life in Ann Arbor, at the free concerts and the Blues Festival, during the summer of 1970. Some of you may be in it. Teegarden & Van Winkle are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClZYXloKMhM
Volume Six - 1970 - continues - HERE
