SACRAMENTO, CA. (Tower Records) - Tower Records, America's leading independent music and movie retailer, today announced that it welcomes legendary Rock Poster Artist John Van Hamersveld on an exclusive cross-country Autograph Tour at select Tower Records stores nationwide.
WHO: Famed Poster Artist John Van Hamersveld, who began his rise to fame in the 60s & 70s. John has designed over 300 rock album covers for groups like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane and many others, and for such well-known records as: Exile on Main Street and Magical Mystery Tour.
WHAT: In a first-of-its-kind tour, John Van Hamersveld will appear at select Tower Records locations nationwide to sign Limited Artist's Editions of the Cream '2005 Live at Albert Hall Reunion' concert poster (for which he also designed the CD/DVD art at the request of Eric Clapton), as well as his famed Jimi Hendrix 'Pinnacle' poster, which commemorated Jimi Hendrix's February 10, 1968 concert at LA's Shrine Auditorium, widely considered to be one of the greatest rock posters ever made. The Cream poster is John's first rock poster in 21 years.
"My mind is just blown by the attention this signing tour at Tower Records is getting," said John Van Hamersveld. "It's re-igniting in me a whole new way of looking at the rock art and entertainment scene. Back in the day, Disney bought the art school where I was studying and turned it into an arts and performance school, which led to the Pinnacle concert posters I did and so much more. I feel like this tour is an extension of that ... in the new millennium."
"Through the years, rock fans around the world have demonstrated their affection for their favorite band or recording artist by displaying concert posters that immortalize an evening that they never want to forget ... " stated Russ Eisenman, SVP Marketing, Tower Records. "Tower Records is therefore thrilled to host a cross-country signing tour with legendary artist John Van Hamersveld who has single-handedly defined the epitome of the rock concert poster."
WHEN & WHERE: Select Tower Records stores nationwide:
- Los Angeles/Sunset - Tuesday, Oct. 4 @ 6 PM
- San Francisco/Columbus & Bay - Friday, Oct. 7 @ 6 PM
- Las Vegas - Tuesday, Oct. 11 @ 6 PM
- Denver - Friday, Oct. 14 @ 6 PM
- Dallas - Monday, Oct. 17 @ 6 PM
- Nashville - Wednesday, Oct. 19 @ 6 PM
- Atlanta - Thursday, Oct. 20 @ 6 PM
- Philadelphia/Ave. Arts - Sunday, Oct. 23 @ 4 PM
- New York/Village - Monday, Oct. 24 @ 6 PM
- Chicago/Clark St. - Tuesday, Nov. 1 @ 6 PM
- Seattle/5th Ave. - Wednesday, Nov. 9 @ 6 PM
- Sacramento/Watt Ave. - Saturday, Nov. 12 @ 2 PM
- La Jolla - (Date and time TBD, likely mid-Nov.)
- Laguna Hills - (Date and time TBD, likely mid-Nov.)
MORE: John Van Hamersveld was born in 1941 in Baltimore, MD. He attended and taught at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and the California Institute of the Arts. His early background includes rock concert promotion, Surfer Magazine and art director at Capitol Records. John's experience encompasses album cover, poster, packaging, industrial, magazine and book design.
His 360 degrees mural at the Los Angeles Coliseum, executed for the 1984 Olympic Games won him national recognition by the American Institute of Architects. He is also well known for his poster design for the movie, The Endless Summer, which is one of the most popular and recognizable poster images of all time.
HOW: Fans are able to secure their place in line to meet Van Hamersveld by purchasing the Cream '2005 Live at Albert Hall Reunion' or the Hendrix 'Pinnacle' concert poster.
