Pirates Ball
This poster is for the
Pirates Ball, a legendary party hosted by the Hells Angels motorcycle club on September 15, 1976. The event took place aboard the S.S. Duchess, a boat that departed from Battery Park and cruised around Manhattan Island in New York City Harbor.
Event Highlights
The Lineup: The event featured the Jerry Garcia Band (JGB), which at the time included Jerry Garcia’s Grateful Dead bandmates Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux, along with longtime collaborator John Kahn and drummer Ron Tutt. Other performers included rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley and the band Elephants Memory.
Atmosphere: The party was a wild, "all-day/night" affair attended by over 200 Hells Angels and roughly 2,000 members of the general public who paid a $15.00 admission fee. Reports from the night describe a high-energy, "freaky" crowd, with High Times Magazine reportedly providing nitrous oxide for the guests.
Musical Set: The JGB's performance included covers of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" and "Stop That Train," Eric Clapton's "After Midnight," and "Catfish John". One notable moment captured in recordings from the night involves a drunken attendee stepping up to the microphone to tell the band to "pick up the tempo".
Historical Context
The Pirates Ball was part of a long-standing association between the Hells Angels and Jerry Garcia that dated back to the early days of the Grateful Dead. This particular event followed a previous "Pirates Ball" held on the same ship (then named the S.S. Bay Belle) in 1973. Original posters and handbills from this 1976 event are now considered rare counter-culture collectibles.
Pirates Ball, a legendary party hosted by the Hells Angels motorcycle club on September 15, 1976. The event took place aboard the S.S. Duchess, a boat that departed from Battery Park and cruised around Manhattan Island in New York City Harbor.
Event Highlights
The Lineup: The event featured the Jerry Garcia Band (JGB), which at the time included Jerry Garcia’s Grateful Dead bandmates Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux, along with longtime collaborator John Kahn and drummer Ron Tutt. Other performers included rock and roll pioneer Bo Diddley and the band Elephants Memory.
Atmosphere: The party was a wild, "all-day/night" affair attended by over 200 Hells Angels and roughly 2,000 members of the general public who paid a $15.00 admission fee. Reports from the night describe a high-energy, "freaky" crowd, with High Times Magazine reportedly providing nitrous oxide for the guests.
Musical Set: The JGB's performance included covers of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" and "Stop That Train," Eric Clapton's "After Midnight," and "Catfish John". One notable moment captured in recordings from the night involves a drunken attendee stepping up to the microphone to tell the band to "pick up the tempo".
Historical Context
The Pirates Ball was part of a long-standing association between the Hells Angels and Jerry Garcia that dated back to the early days of the Grateful Dead. This particular event followed a previous "Pirates Ball" held on the same ship (then named the S.S. Bay Belle) in 1973. Original posters and handbills from this 1976 event are now considered rare counter-culture collectibles.
Mounted
Recto in Shrink Wrap
Verso in shrink wrap
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