If you didn’t know by now, gig poster collecting started out in the 60′s and the tradition is still going strong today. In fact, the community is bigger that ever. Indie music fanatics around the world have turned into collectors. This isn’t some small fad or trend, there are entire online communities/marketplaces solely dedicated to buying and selling custom gig posters.
Designers and enthusiasts collect gig posters and treat them as artwork, just like people treat famous paintings. The average Joe might think that posters are pointless to collect or hang on your wall, but they couldn’t be more wrong. A great gig poster will make you kick yourself for not coming up with that idea first, push the boundaries of your imagination, and inspire you.
Gig posters tend to be limited and sell out quickly. I believe this is one of the main reasons the gig poster community is so vibrant. Knowing you’re one of only a handfull of people who own that specific poster is pretty special. This reminds me of Pokemon cards. (Yes, I’m not ashamed to say it. I used to be in them. I think I might have a few holographic cards laying around somewhere.)
What makes a great poster?
Well, let’s start off with the most obvious reason. A poster or a flyer is a basic form of advertisement for an upcoming event, tour, album, etc. But why can’t it be more than an ad?
It can!
Not only does a great poster convey the message clearly, but it can also provide a visual feast. That’s the entire purpose of this article. I want to inspire you to create a poster that will make people feel ashamed for even thinking about throwing it in the trash.
Today we have a tremendous collection of well designed gig posters and flyers. You might not like every single poster you’ll see today, however I can almost guaranteed you will see at least one that will blow your socks off. Enjoy!
