Grateful Dead 1966 San Francisco “Dance of Death” Concert Poster

A 1966 concert poster, known as “Dance of Death”, with Grateful Dead on the bill in San Francisco.

About The Grateful Dead

Grateful Dead posters and album art, from skeletons and roses to dancing bears, are central to psychedelic design. Grateful Dead fans, known as Deadheads, followed the band from city to city for decades. Concert posters are often the only surviving record of a particular line-up on a particular night. The Grateful Dead formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1965 and became famous for long, improvised live shows. This poster advertised a 1966 show in San Francisco. Promoters like Bill Graham and Chet Helms commissioned a new poster for almost every weekend of shows.

Styling this Grateful Dead concert poster

This 1966 poster for Grateful Dead brings a slice of 1960s music history to the wall. Hang it at eye level, about 57 inches (145 cm) to its centre; 18×24″ is a versatile size for most walls. A black or antique-gold frame suits this Grateful Dead concert poster well and keeps the focus on the image. For a gallery wall, pair this Grateful Dead concert poster with two or three smaller prints, spaced 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) apart.

At a glance

• Type: Grateful Dead concert poster
• Band: The Grateful Dead
• Year: 1966
• Style: Vintage concert posters
• Collections: Grateful Dead Posters, Vintage Concert Posters