Gig Posters volume 2: Rock Show Art of the 21st Century


By Clay Hayes (Quirk)
ISBN: 978-1-59474-543-0

Although a little on the fringe of what we usually look at here, this superb and humongous (282 by 356mm) full-colour art-book thumped onto my in-tray recently and I will admit to being rather blown away by the contents. I make no apologies but happily stress for nit-pickers that since Now Read This is dedicated to plugging stories told through or in conjunction with graphic art – and even typography – Gig Posters volume 2 contains some of the most impressive, varied and arresting modern images I’ve seen in quite a while…

GigPosters.com began in 2001 as an on-line historical vault for music art where browsers could view a vast resource of music related design, concert posters and contemporary nostalgia. It quickly became The Place for jobbing artists, designers, printer-makers and performing artists from around the globe to showcase their talents. In 2009 a giant book containing 700 of the very best images with 101 of those as full-page, ready to frame/hang/nail/blu-tack or otherwise affix to your personal vertical spaces was released. Naturally the book was a tremendous success and this spectacular sequel followed in 2011…

Within these immense pages are works by Adam Pobiak, Alan Hynes, Alana Bailey, Altieri Art, the Ames Bros, Anville, AS Printing Press, Atzgerei, Baker Prints, Blackheart Studios, Ben Wilson, Broken Press, The Bubble Process, The Bungaloo, Chicken Billy, Clint Wilson, Clinton Reno, The Comet Substance, Concepción Studios, Craig Horky, Craig Updergrove, David V, D’Andrea, Dead Meat, Dirty Donny Gillies, DKNG, Doe Eyed, Doublenaut, Douze Studio Dresden, Dr. Alderete, Droid, Empire Press, Erick Montes, Frida Clements, Ghost-Town Studio, Graham Pilling, Gunsho, The Half and Half, Hatch Show Print, Hyp Inc, Idiot or Genius?, Insurgentarts, Iron Canvas Studios,

Iskra Print Collective, Isle of Printing, Ivan Minsloff, James Flames, Jeral Tidwell, Jeremy Wilson, Jim Mazza, Joe Whyte, John Howard, Johnny Sampson, Justin Santora, Kill Hatsumomo Prints, Kunny van der Ploeg, Landland, Madpixel Art and Design, Mara Piccione, Mark McCormick, Mark Sgarbossa, Marq Spusta, Matt Terich, Maximum Fluoride Killustration, Mike Saputo, Mike Weihs, Mile 44, Nat Damm, Nerl Says Design, Nick DuPey, Petting Zoo Prints and Collectables, Pfahlert Creative Labs, Punchgut, R. Black, Rich Kelly, Robbie Fuct, Ryan Duggan, Scott Campbell, Scraped Knee Studios, Scrawled Design, Shawn K. Knight, The Silent Giants, Small Horse Studio, Sonnenzimmer, Spike Press, Standard Deluxe, Inc., Standard Design, Status Serigraph, Subject Matter Studio, Switchopen Illustrations, T-Bone & Aljax Production and Design, Tim Huesken, Tom Bagley, Traci Edwards, Two Arms, Inc., Two Rabbits Studios, Tyler Stout, Uglybogus, Us & Them, Weapons of Mass Design, Weathermaker Press and Will Ruocco.

The acts promoted and commemorated in these stunning pictures range from household names (well, in my household anyway) to local phenomenons and up-and comers: Green Day, Queens of the Stone Age, Arcade Fire, Flight of the Conchords, Rage Against the Machine, Ra Ra Riot, Norah Jones, Slayer, Sonic Youth, Devotchka, Bonny Prince Billy, Cake, Linkin Park, Ween, Death Cab for Cutie, Marianne Faithful, Wu- Tang Clan, Helmet, Duran Duran, Yob and many, many more…

Since 1977and the Punk Revolution, music and comic art have continually fed off each other and many of the images in here will seem like old friends to fanboys and art lovers. Many of them will inevitably inspire new comic images…

© 2011 Clay Hayes and Gigposters.com. All rights reserved. All artwork courtesy and copyright of individual designers or design studios.