Rare color 16.5 x 21.75 poster for shows by The Doors at at Boston’s short-lived Crosstown Bus on August 10 and 11, 1967. When the Doors were booked to play the Crosstown Bus, they were a little-known but promising act out of Los Angeles; by the time they played the shows, 'Light My Fire' had just become a number one hit (first topping the charts on July 29th), and they were well on their way to superstardom. In fine condition, with some expert restoration to remove old clear tape stains on the edges.
The consignor notes that this was acquired from a former Crosstown Bus employee, who acquired it before the Doors shows. The final poster for this show was printed in three colors: black, green, and red. This previously undocumented variant was printed in black and green on white poster stock, but it is not simply a two-color version, as the green on this version was printed using a darker ink than on the three-color version. According to the Crosstown Bus employee, the poster was designed by Jim Phillips. He recalled the two color version and the three color one 'arrived at the venue for the artist to approve and or make changes—they were printed the same day, or same time—I cannot account for the printing difference in the green one—the poster with the 3 colors is ultimately how the poster was printed and replicated and the one with 2 colors was a test or proof or some other early version of the final version—and I have never seen another one like it.'
Steve Morse recalled the spectacle of The Doors' memorable Crosstown Bus shows in a piece for the Boston Globe: 'Singer Jim Morrison was like an unleashed psychopath, staggering around and sprawling on the stage, looking to be in a shamanistic frenzy (bigger eyeballs I've never seen) and establishing an explosive tone of hurt and anger, ending in catharsis. Pianist Ray Manzarek played his dapper opposite—a Van Cliburn character who acted straight enough to be in a classical piano competition until you looked further at his granny glasses, and realized he was an emissary from Pluto. Guitarist Robbie Kreiger, meanwhile, was a shy, poetic figure in the background. The first time I saw them was at the short lived Crosstown Bus in Brighton, a psychedelic atmosphere complete with absurd silver foil covering the walls and go-go girls in cages. An eye-opener.'
