Grateful Dead, Humble Pie - on Altamont Day, 1969

This poster advertised shows that overlapped with one of the most notorious live events of the 1960s, Altamont. The date and final location for the free concert at Altamont was only announced two days before the actual date, December 6, and of course was an event filled with tragedies immortalized in the Rolling Stones film, Gimme Shelter.

You know the story. Rolling Stones, free concert at their end of their 1969 tour (where they had been criticized for high prices). Marty Balin of the Jefferson Airplane knocked cold by a Hells Angel. Jerry Garcia being informed of what had happened and the dangerous vibes after their helicopter landed – the Dead refused to play and left! Well, they played that night at the Fillmore West and THIS is the poster for those shows! You can imagine not only that show December 6th but the last night of the run in the aftermath of Altamont.

Ironically, this poster also featured a direct warning by artist David Singer about the dangers of drug use as speed, heroin and other less psychedelic and considerably more damaging drugs had become commonplace. The image is of a man drowning in a sea of pills, a cautionary statement, and certainly appropriate when paired with the Altamont tragedy.