There’s a blank canvas for promotional posters in Five Points outside of Papa Jazz Record Shoppe. You used to have to fight for real estate, but these days the board begs for concert posters.
I don’t think posters are used properly anymore. For decades bands would place posters all over town, but these days posters seem confined to Instagram, Facebook, and X. That helps get the word out to some fans, and if the algorithm is particularly kind to you, you might hit a larger swath of your following. It does little to get you outside of that bubble, which is the purpose of the poster.
“Meet your audience where they are” is a common piece of advice in marketing and communications. If you’re a band playing a show, or a promoter promoting a show, you don’t have to think too hard on where your potential fans/customers frequent. Coffee shops, music shops, local venues, restaurants, and events are just a few ideal spots.
When it comes to connecting with your fans, online is an ideal place. If you’re looking to build your name and find new fans on a grassroots level, offline avenues are the way to go. A poster offers repeat exposure when that Instagram post often offers one second of recognition (if you’re lucky) before it vanishes into the ether.
Here in South Carolina, we’re lucky to have some amazing graphic designers and The Half and Half who screen prints posters for everyone from Phish to The National.
I am in the midst of organizing my 15 year-old archive of photos, videos, and files for SceneSC. For over a decade I ran a print shop that printed posters for bands and artists across the Southeast, so I collected the files along the way. Since I’m in the middle of this archiving phase, I’ve decided to share a few of those posters with you tonight.
This one’s for all the other poster collectors and enthusiasts out there. I hope I included a show you attended.
PS: Huge thank you to my personal poster collaborators Nate Puza and Drake Cartrette for your contributions to the music community.
New Music
If you ever wonder “Why Spotify?” it’s because it’s the most user friendly music focused platform for a brand like SceneSC to create and share playlists. Bandcamp had every chance in the world, but could never pull it together.
Upcoming Shows
In lieu of show listings this week, I’d like your help in completing this three question survey. It’s very quick, painless, and will be over in no time.
Announced
Speaking of posters, Extra Chill announced their 2024 festival.
Encore
You’re the rockstar for scrolling this far.
