The Who, Boston Tea Party, 1969

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Is there an image – a rock poster – that more perfectly captures and expresses the energy, power and enthusiasm of ROCK and ROLL than on this very rare 1969 poster for the Who?

Featuring an incredible image of Pete Townsend in his classic mid-air leap, this poster was created by Eric Engstrom who did a number of posters for the Boston Tea Party, the preeminent psychedelic-sixties rock venue in Boston. This poster is in Near Mint condition with one tiny tack hole on top under the mat.

Artist Eric Engstrom writes, “Still the best poster I ever did – the strongest graphically anyway. The image of Peter was based on a blurry photograph; I hand drew his visage and my own ‘WHO’ logo using a Rapidograph pen that constantly clogged up. I doubt anyone ever envisioned that they would someday become collector items. They were intended to be posted on walls, telephone poles, etc. to advertise that weeks performing artists only to be torn down, discarded and replaced next week with a new poster for the next show.

In 1969 and 1970 the Who were featuring Tommy, the Rock Opera at there shows and these dates were no exception. The first show on November 11 is available for listening on YouTube and you can hear the Who in a smaller and more intimate pre-stadium setting where the ferocious drumming of Keith Moon and powerful bass expression of John Entwhistle leap into your living room. 1969 would be the last time the Who played in more informal mid-sized settings in colleges as they did at Holy Cross, Stony Brook, Georgetown and New Paltz.

The opening act, Tony William’s Lifetime, was founded in 1969 as a power trio with John McLaughlin on electric guitar, and Larry Young on organ. Their debut album was Emergency!, a double album released that year. It was largely rejected by jazz listeners at the time of its release because of its heavy rock influences, but it is now looked upon as a fusion classic. It was also one of several albums that the members of The Allman Brothers Band listened to regularly early in their career.