Grateful Dead 1969 University of Utah “SDS Ball” Concert Poster

A 1969 concert poster, known as “SDS Ball”, with Grateful Dead on the bill at the University of Utah.

About The Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1965 and became famous for long, improvised live shows. Grateful Dead posters and album art, from skeletons and roses to dancing bears, are central to psychedelic design. Concert posters were made to promote a single show, which is why so few originals survive. This poster advertised a 1969 show. The late 1960s saw a boom in psychedelic poster art, with swirling hand-drawn lettering and clashing colours. Poster artists such as Wes Wilson, Victor Moscoso, Stanley Mouse and Rick Griffin defined the San Francisco psychedelic style.

Styling this Grateful Dead concert poster

This 1969 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. This Grateful Dead concert poster also anchors a gallery wall well; surround it with smaller pieces at even 2–3 inch gaps.

At a glance

• Type: Grateful Dead concert poster
• Band: The Grateful Dead
• Year: 1969
• Style: Vintage concert posters
• Collections: Grateful Dead Posters, Vintage Concert Posters