While most viewers tuned in for the laughs and hijinks at the fictional radio station, eagle-eyed collectors might have noticed something special hidden in the background – concert posters. In this blog post, we'll take a nostalgic journey through the iconic show WKRP and explore the fascinating world of fantastic vintage concert posters that make appearances throughout the series.
WKRP's Musical Backdrop
WKRP in Cincinnati, which originally aired from 1978 to 1982, was a sitcom set on a fictional radio station in Cincinnati. The show revolved around the quirky staff of the station as they navigated the turbulent waters of the radio industry.
While the main focus was on the characters' antics, the show's creators added subtle touches to make the setting feel authentic, including the use of vintage concert posters. Who knows if they were the real deal or not - I like to think so, though!
Spotting Concert Posters
If you're a concert poster enthusiast, you might want to revisit WKRP with a keener eye. Here are some notable posters that I saw within a clip that my sister shared with me. Within a matter of 15 seconds, I saw (3) posters that I knew I recognized. Here are those (3).
First up is this poster featuring Big Brother and the Holding Company along with Albert King at Shrine Auditorium, called AOR-3.69-OP-1.
This poster was designed by Rick Griffin and Victor Moscoso and is featured in the Art of Rock book. This concert happened on May 2nd, 1968.
According to GoCollect, this poster has sold 4 times, twice graded and twice raw. The highest it sold was a 6.0 for $2,040 while the lowest was a raw poster for $115. Currently, there are (6) graded copies graded by CGC, (4) blue labeled and (2) restored purple.
Next up, we have the poster featuring Bob Dylan & Joan Baez and a Lenny Bruce poster - in one shot!
Let’s talk about Bob Dylan first. This poster is featured in the Art of Rock book as well, AOR-1.101. Designed by Eric Von Schmidt, this poster was for a concert that occurred on May 1, 1965. The highest this poster has sold for was a 9.4 graded poster that sold for $8,400 while the lowest was an 8.0 that sold for $644. Both were sold at Psychedelic Art Exchange. There are currently (19) graded, (18) blue and (1) purple restored. Joan states in her memoir about this short tour:
...we made plans to sing together in a short concert tour of the States in March and April of 1965. Manny was in charge of the poster, which we both had to okay. The billing was to be exactly equal, and a design by Eric Von Schmidt was finally agreed upon which had Bob's head a little higher than mine, and my name a little higher than his...we were something of a phenomenon, packing houses and getting rave reviews....we were a big deal, and we were taken to meet the Beatles.
The other poster took me a while to nail down. I remember the design but couldn’t for the life of me remember the name or venue. It’s Lenny Bruce! From the Bill Graham Series, this poster is named BG-13.
This concert poster was for a concert at Fillmore Auditorium on June 24 & 25, 1966, and was designed by Wes Wilson. Currently, there are (27) graded by CGC, (22) blue labeled, (2) restored purple, and (1) yellow signature.
The highest this poster has sold for was $10k for a 9.2 at Heritage Auction back in April 2022. These stats are all for OP-1, original print version 1. There are multiple versions and reprints, so who knows which one (if it is an original) is on that wall.
Collecting WKRP Concert Posters
People have different collecting styles, and maybe you’ve considered collecting posters but didn’t know where to start. Finding a show that you love, and trying to locate the comics, or posters featured - even in the background - could be a fun collection journey. If you wanted to do that with WKRP, not only are you in for a great watch but a difficult and expensive task.
Just taking the average sales pricing on these posters in this small section of (1) episode and you’re looking at $6,856 just for (3) posters! Still, it is a lot of fun to find them and learn about these stunning psychedelic posters that were used and wall decoration - as intended.
Conclusion
WKRP in Cincinnati holds a special place in the hearts of many for its humor and portrayal of the music and radio industry. For concert poster collectors, it offers an unexpected bonus – a glimpse into the vibrant world of vintage concert posters.
So, the next time you watch WKRP, pay close attention to the background; you might just discover a new addition to your poster collection, all while enjoying the laughter and nostalgia the show has to offer. Happy collecting!
Are you a fan of the show? Tell us about it in the comments below! Boooooooooger!!!!!!!
