Avalon Ballroom 4/22-23/66

This poster is from the first Family Dog show held at the Avalon Ballroom, and is known as “Blues Project.” The central image is a photograph of a Native American wearing a top hat and smoking what appears to be a joint. At the bottom of the photo are the words “May the Baby Jesus Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Mind”. This same image also appears in the Family Dog logo.

It is tough to find an original poster in top condition, but they do show up from time to time. Patience will be rewarded if you wish to add one of these originals to your collection.

The original poster is printed on white vellum and measures approximately 14″ x 20″.

The second print poster was also printed on white vellum and measures approximately 14″ x 20″. The notation “5(2)” appears in the lower left corner and the Union logo #72 appears in the lower right corner.

The third print poster was printed on uncoated index stock and measures approximately 14 1/4” x 20 1/2”. The notation “No, 5-3” appears in the lower right corner and the Union logo described on the second print poster is missing.

The fourth print poster is also on uncoated index stock and has the same markings as the third print poster. Both the blue and red inks are lighter in color than the third print, and the poster measures approximately 14⅜″ x 20⅞″.

The fifth print poster was printed by Pomegranate Press in the 1990s. It measures approximately 12⅞″ x 15″ and carries the same image as the third print.

The original handbills come in three different varieties:

Type A is an oversized handbill that measures approximately 12 ⅜″ x 15 ⅝″ and was printed in color. These handbills were included in a magazine and are all folded in half by the printer;

Type B measures approximately 5″ x 8″ and is printed in black ink on white paper; and

Type C measures approximately 5″ x 8″ and is printed in blue ink on white paper.

There is also a reprint handbill that was included in The Journal of Communication Art, Volume 9, Number 1. This handbill was bound into the magazine and detachable by perforation. It carries the same size image as the Type A original, but was printed on paper measuring approximately 11″ x 15″.