Feeling Better Now

I talked myself out of my funk by cruising through one of my favourite time-wasting sites: Gigposters.

I love band posters. I love the fact that they're usually very creative and meld the best elements of graphic design and visual art together. I love the fact that they're ephemeral and historically specific, and that they aren't just art for art's sake but have a real, and clearly indicated, purpose.

Plus, as a bit of an indie music fan, I like the fact that some of the most creative work is done for bands I've never heard of.

Now check out this poster:

How gorgeous is this? I've never heard of the String Cheese Incident, but this poster is wonderful and it's almost enough to make me want to chase the band down and have a listen (despite their rather silly name).

I love the art deco typeface used on the balloon, I love the clouds, I love the reflection in the water, the city skyline etc. It's a nice, strong image, illustrated clearly and attractively.

So yes, I am a bit of a fan of graphic design in general. Low art, low culture, kitsch, whatever -- I like it. It's fun and it's accesible to a pleb like me. I can get a band poster that has had a run of 20 copies for under $50 and hang it on my wall as a fairly interesting and unique 'artwork'; whereas to get my hands on an honest to god Chagall painting or a Robert Dickerson piece is, well, it's unlikely.

Anyway, while cruising through Gigposters I came across a couple that really appealed.  Like this one for Sleater-Kinney (one of my favourite bands right now):

I couldn't find the artist online (you have to go off-site to try to find posters to buy, and it can be a bit frustrating), but I did buy another Sleater-Kinney poster instead:

It's so cute and simple. It uses two colour printing, clean lines, tells a story, and it has a bird motif which is one of my little obsessions.

I also picked up this really cute Tegan and Sara poster as a gift for a friend:

Anyway, then I had to stop looking because I would have spent a small fortune in posters if I let myself. I'm weak like that.

I'll leave you now with two final posters, for my two favourite Insufferable Music Snobs, Amanda and Shaun (I mean that in the nicest possible way):

Comments

[ampersandduck]

Oooohhhhh...
grkhfjlll...
drooollllll...

I love band posters too. There's a great new book out at the moment on Australian band posters, but I've blown my book budget for a while.

This is a FAB website! Thanks for the link!

[Shaun]

"Insufferable Music Snobs"? Hey, I resemble that remark.

Thanks Kate for the heads up on the site. Reminds me I have some fascimiles of Led Zep concert posters somewhere. There is something about the 60s and 70s posters that is oh so cool.

*sigh* something more to spend money on though will have to wait till after matrimony. The Beloved did buy some great AC/DC photo reprints last birthday for my study. Hmmm, a poster would be a nice addition.

[Kate]

Not all of the posters are available for sale Shaun; and I'd imagine the AC/DC ones would be quite hard to get!

[anthony]

Great tip there Kate. I managed to stumble across

www.aestheticapparatus.com

who are just brilliant.

[worldpeace_and_aspeedboat]

arghle... mmm... band posters. yummy fer sherrr...

a friend of mine, Mark, and I used to go poster stealing around Sydney in the late 80's/early 90's. equipped with his mum's van and stanley knives, we'd go to all the demolition sites and rip down things we liked. or cut them off telegraph poles.

one night, we came across a bloke gluing the big ones up on demo sites. we pulled one down while it was still smooth and fresh and laid it carefully in the van. he was really pissed off with us, so we asked him if he'd give us some straight from his van, but he refused. so sod it, we kept stealing ones he was putting up (not all of them of course).

I still occasionally cut posters off telegraph poles, and (nerdy nerdy) get them signed by bands when I can. I've noticed though that the printing is now laser, not screen, and doesn't hold up as well to the elements and removing sticky tape. bum.

btw I was also a bit obsessed with vintage lithographs of fruit crate labels for a while. they're very beautiful. and affordable on eBay. until you run out of money, that is.

[Kate]

Anthony; very cool indeed. I had to stop myself being a New Pornographer's one. Maybe I still will.

Speedy; reminds me of when Mr Kate and I were living in seperate places in 2000. Mr Kate pulled down a HUGE poster of 'Something for Kate' and wrote a message on the back and sent it to me as surprise. I still have it somewhere around here... but yes, because it wasn't screen-printed it faded really quickly.

[worldpeace_and_aspeedboat]

awwwww... Kate, that's so cute :)