Boldly silkscreen printed in vibrant pink and red inks, this graphic concert poster promoted a performance by Echo & the Bunnymen at the Paradiso Club in Amsterdam on 19th March 1983, during the European leg of their Porcupine Tour. Formed in 1978, the cult British rock band achieved mainstream success when their 1983 album Porcupine hit number 2 in the UK album charts.

Housed in a 19th century church building and briefly housing a hippie squat, the Paradiso became a popular music venue from 1968, attracting some of the most significant international rock, punk and new wave acts of the time, including Pink Floyd, David Bowie, the Sex Pistols, Joy Division, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Madonna and Prince. Known for his spectacular rainbow printing, British printmaker Martin Kaye designed and screenprinted in excess of 1000 different posters for artists performing at the Paradiso Club between 1972 and 1983 from his basement studio below the club. Each poster was printed in an edition of approximately 125 for posting around the streets of Amsterdam to promote the upcoming show, so very few have survived in good condition. Kaye's characteristically large lettering enabled the city's cyclists to read the posters clearly as they whizzed by.

Provenance

Excellent (A-)

Unfolded, not backed. Minor bumps and dog-ears to corners. Minor nicks and creases, predominantly to margins, and spots of faint staining to margins in places. Light surface scuffs to silkscreen ink, most notably to pink ground in upper left corner. Image and colours otherwise excellent.