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Thirteen years of Pearl Jam tour posters on display - Tacoma Public Library

Surf RiderSurf Rider Posts: 813
edited January 2009 in The Porch
Ames Bros vs. Pearl Jam
by Matt Driscoll


As I’ve made clear on plenty of occasions, I’m a Pearl Jam fan. I have been for a long time. While initially I got into the band because there was a chick in my honors English class that wore long underwear under her shorts and made my teenage libido run wild, I’ve long since forgotten what’s-her-name.

But I’ll never give up on Pearl Jam.

Even as the band (and, thus, this hack writer) ages, and slowly becomes a representation of past accomplishments more than future potential, Pearl Jam still holds a place in my heart. And I’m not just talking about Ten and Vs. here, folks. I’m talking about the whole Pearl Jam timeline — from Mookie Blaylock to their latest record with the avocado on the cover.

If you’re a fan of Pearl Jam — or, maybe just a fan of rock and roll posters — chances are you’re familiar with the work of the Ames Bros. A Seattle based design company run by Barry Ament (PJ bassist Jeff Ament’s brother) and his longtime buddy, Coby Schultz (the two grew up together in Montana before moving to Seattle) along with Brad Klausen, the Ames Bros are responsible for virtually every piece of Pearl Jam merch and every concert poster the band has signed off on.

It’s an impressive catalog, and one the Ames Bros are proud of. So proud, in fact, that they’ve made a book of their work for Pearl Jam – titled Ames Bros vs. Pearl Jam: 13 Years of Tour Posters — which was released last year. It’s a fantastic collection of some of the best rock posters of a generation — in a time when the art of crafting rock posters seems to have been sadly lost.

While the book is exciting, don’t get me wrong; what’s really exciting is a new exhibit of work from the book soon to be going on display at the Tacoma Public Library’s Handforth Gallery. Starting with a book (and, of course, poster) signing featuring both Barry Ament and Coby Schultz, beginning Thursday, Dec. 11, 82 pieces of the Ames Bros best work will be hanging on the walls of the TPL.

As far as exhibits at public libraries go, that’s about as cool as it gets.

“It’s actually something that we’ve been thinking about for quite a while. We’ve made a lot of posters for various bands throughout the last 13-14 years, and that volume of work started growing some time ago. It was our plan to one day do a book with all of our posters, which we’d still like to do. Luckily for us, Pearl Jam was just as dedicated to making a book as we were. This allowed us to focus our efforts into creating a book about our posters for Pearl Jam, which made sense considering they comprise probably 90 percent of our screen-printed rock posters. With the band’s involvement, it definitely took the book up a notch,” said Schultz and Ament in an e-mail interview with the Weekly Volcano.

“We wanted a way to archive all of this work as well as to offer some insight to our inspiration and thought process. The posters themselves have become highly collectible, and in the secondary market an often expensive item. This book would allow people to have all of them in one spot, if not hanging on their walls, at least in the pages of this book printed with accurate colors and very high quality. In essence we went about it the way we would any of our posters or other design projects, with the end goal of making the coolest thing we could. In that respect, we feel it was a success.

“We’ve got a lot to be proud of for sure,” Schultz and Ament continued, answering as one — a sure indication of the two designer’s partnership and shared vision. “Thinking back to college and even childhood, I’d say that we had visions of one day doing something cool, like jumping our bikes across the canal. I don’t think either one of us could’ve come up with a scenario that played out like this one. Even looking back five years, we probably couldn’t have guessed how the last five would’ve played out.”

Chances are, no one could have predicted it. That’s one of the great things about life.
And one of the great things about Pearl Jam is the band’s tour posters, which can now be widely seen thanks to the Ames Bros book, and — more importantly for Tacoma — thanks to the Tacoma Public Library’s exhibit which kicks off next Thursday.

It probably won’t be Drop in the Park — but it’ll be pretty damn cool nonetheless.



http://www.weeklyvolcano.com/2008-12-04/music-main/3097/
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    wolfbearwolfbear Posts: 3,965
    I might have to go see this. :)
    "I'd rather be with an animal." "Those that can be trusted can change their mind." "The in between is mine." "If I don't lose control, explore and not explode, a preternatural other plane with the power to maintain." "Yeh this is living." "Life is what you make it."
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    BeerBaron wrote:
    That is so cool! I wish I was close enough to drop by and see the display.


    I wish I was close enough to drop by and pull a Hudson Hawk! ;):D
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    That is so great. My local library has a display every month. I think it's Pez dispensers this month. I would certainly prefer Tacoma's. They are Light Years ahead, pun intended.
    Thanks PJAMEDVED, That was a great article you shared with us.
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    100 Pacer100 Pacer Toronto, ON Posts: 8,548
    “The posters themselves have become highly collectible, and in the secondary market an often expensive item.”


    :cool:
    To quote the 10C from Newsletter #8: "Please understand we have a lot of members and it is very hard to please everybody. If you are one of those unhappy people...please call 1-900-IDN-TCAR."

    "Me knowing the truth, I can not concur."

    1996: Toronto - 1998: Chicago, Montreal, Barrie - 2000: Montreal, Toronto - 2002: Seattle X2 (Key Arena) - 2003: Cleveland, Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal, Seattle (Benaroya Hall) - 2004: Reading, Toledo, Grand Rapids - 2005: Kitchener, London, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Quebec City - 2006: Toronto X2, Albany, Hartford, Grand Rapids, Cleveland - 2007: Chicago (Vic Theatre) - 2008: NYC X2, Hartford, Mansfield X2 - 2009: Toronto, Chicago X2, Seattle X2, Philadelphia X4 - 2010: Columbus, Noblesville, Cleveland, Buffalo, Hartford - 2011: Montreal, Toronto X2, Ottawa, Hamilton - 2012: Missoula - 2013: London, Chicago, Buffalo, Hartford - 2014: Detroit, Moline - 2015: NYC (Global Citizen Festival) - 2016: Greenville, Toronto X2, Chicago 1 - 2017: Brooklyn (RRHOF Induction) - 2018: Chicago 1, Boston 1 - 2022: Fresno, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, NYC, Camden - 2023: St. Paul X2, Austin X2 - 2024: Vancouver X2, Portland, Sacramento, Noblesville, Philadelphia X2, Baltimore
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    Who actually goes to the public library anymore..It's called the internet


    ....Why don't they just go on a book signing tour or something...I think this is lame....sorry
    God Loves Pearl Jam
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    I wish I could go, but I'm far away.
    I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning

    6/30/2008 - Mansfield, MA.
    5/17/2010 - Boston, MA
    9/3/2011 - East Troy, WI (PJ20)
    9/4/2011 - East Troy, WI (PJ20)
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    OkOk Posts: 2,144
    Wow, this is cool and something I would have to check out if I lived in the area. If the library allows pictures, somebody should take a bunch and post them. It would be cool to see how they present them and which ones they choose.
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    ottonypottonyp Posts: 226
    Who actually goes to the public library anymore..It's called the internet


    ....Why don't they just go on a book signing tour or something...I think this is lame....sorry


    Call me a nerd (a PJ nerd at that), but I go to the public library once a month (as this is where I get the material I voluntarily read to a group of residents at an area nursing home on a weekly basis)! I wish our library had this going on!!! Maybe you should get off the computer once in awhile, and go out and experience life!!!
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    Who actually goes to the public library anymore..It's called the internet


    ....Why don't they just go on a book signing tour or something...I think this is lame....sorry

    You don't know how many great books I've picked up and read by just wondering through a library. Libraries are an important part of American culture and with out reading America will just get stupider and stupider...:rolleyes:
    Nathan
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    Who actually goes to the public library anymore..It's called the internet


    are you fucking serious?? the internet is NOT a substitute for the library!! maybe if you read more you'd understand that...see...we still need libraries!
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    Who actually goes to the public library anymore..It's called the internet
    yikes! thats unfortunate, the library is awesome
    I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning

    6/30/2008 - Mansfield, MA.
    5/17/2010 - Boston, MA
    9/3/2011 - East Troy, WI (PJ20)
    9/4/2011 - East Troy, WI (PJ20)
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    Support your local library.
    33...
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    So how are we robbing this place?
    Tour with fucking NOFX
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    are you fucking serious?? the internet is NOT a substitute for the library!! maybe if you read more you'd understand that...see...we still need libraries!


    I am quite serious and have had no need to go to a library since college which was before the internet explosion. Show me a book at the library that you can not get online....I guess you guys search for books using the fuckin dewey decimal system and shit....

    .....I guess I am in the minority here...and I guess you guys actually subscribe to a newspaper too....Books=paper=deforesting...digital reading is free and does not destroy trees.....How many books go unsold each year and end up in the garbage....

    ...Oh and I read plenty...
    God Loves Pearl Jam
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    PJ20PJ20 Miami, FL Posts: 94
    I am quite serious and have had no need to go to a library since college which was before the internet explosion. Show me a book at the library that you can not get online....I guess you guys search for books using the fuckin dewey decimal system and shit....

    .....I guess I am in the minority here...and I guess you guys actually subscribe to a newspaper too....Books=paper=deforesting...digital reading is free and does not destroy trees.....How many books go unsold each year and end up in the garbage....

    ...Oh and I read plenty...

    Yes, because computer/technology use has no negative side effects for the environment....

    And it's well documented that the main cause of deforestation is the New York Times....
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    I am quite serious and have had no need to go to a library since college which was before the internet explosion. Show me a book at the library that you can not get online....I guess you guys search for books using the fuckin dewey decimal system and shit....

    .....I guess I am in the minority here...and I guess you guys actually subscribe to a newspaper too....Books=paper=deforesting...digital reading is free and does not destroy trees.....How many books go unsold each year and end up in the garbage....

    ...Oh and I read plenty...

    i just can't stare at a computer screen for hours without my eyes killing me..much rather read a book than a computer screen.

    don't get all holier than thou on me either because most PC's are full of PCBs and pollute the earth PLENTY!! not to mention the electricity that is required to operate it!
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    I challenge you to find, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and The Heart of the Middle East online for free.


    I found one in the library. Had to do a paper on it for my class, Modern Middle East.

    Libraries are free. Amazon.com is not.

    Can't tell you how many awesome books i've read by visiting the "Classics" section of my local library.
    "It's as comfortable as can be. But when you're on stage playing with Neil, well -- it's one thing to be at the zoo and watch an animal pace around its cage. It's another to be in the cage with him." -Eddie Vedder
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    Antreaper wrote:
    I challenge you to find, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and The Heart of the Middle East online for free.


    just found that bad boy
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    i just can't stare at a computer screen for hours without my eyes killing me..much rather read a book than a computer screen.

    don't get all holier than thou on me either because most PC's are full of PCBs and pollute the earth PLENTY!! not to mention the electricity that is required to operate it!


    definitely not Holier than thou, I am just saying that libraries are not what they were, nor will they ever be...I have had 1 computer for the last 4 years so I am not polluting the environment at all, how many people keep all the books/magazines they have read in 4 years..It is very obsurd to compare electricity to trees. I can make electricity by rubbing a balloon on my head, try growing a tree that fast.

    Computers are recycled much more efficiently than paper...where does all that ink go, do you know what chemicals they use to treat paper during recycling? I am sure that stuff just does wonders for the environment..so before you jump on the anti-opinion bandwagon, please check your facts....
    God Loves Pearl Jam
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    Antreaper wrote:
    I challenge you to find, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and The Heart of the Middle East online for free.


    I found one in the library. Had to do a paper on it for my class, Modern Middle East.

    Libraries are free. Amazon.com is not.

    Can't tell you how many awesome books i've read by visiting the "Classics" section of my local library.


    by the way, not all libraries are free.

    FU to Amazon.com...try an online book club or something, I guarantee you that I could have a digital copy of that book in two days if I so chose to hunt one down.

    ....I am sure the only reason why you know a few titles to some rare books is because you have to do papers on them, I don't know you from a hole in the wall and can still tell that you would spend little personal time in the library.

    I would also bet my top 10 PJ posters that you read more online than anywhere else....
    God Loves Pearl Jam
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    ottonyp wrote:
    Call me a nerd (a PJ nerd at that), but I go to the public library once a month (as this is where I get the material I voluntarily read to a group of residents at an area nursing home on a weekly basis)! I wish our library had this going on!!! Maybe you should get off the computer once in awhile, and go out and experience life!!!


    You are an anomoly

    ...And my life's experiences have been quite fullfilling so far...

    ..are you saying that reading a book is experiencing life....That seems paradoxical to me

    ..You should get out a little more too champ...
    God Loves Pearl Jam
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    damn...wish this were in DC, hahahah...
    Download the unofficial <a href="http://bit.ly/PJStatTracker">Pearl Jam Stat Tracker</a> app for iPhone/iPad. It's <em>FREE.</em>

    PM me with any comments or suggestions for the app - or weigh in <a href="http://forums.pearljam.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=167611
    ">here</a>.
    or
    <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pjstattracker">Join the discussion on facebook</a>

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    Here's a link from the library's web site:
    http://www.tacomapubliclibrary.org/Page.aspx?nid=64

    "Opening reception, gallery talk & book signing Thursday evening, December 11 beginning at 6 p.m."

    I may just toodle down there with my book for the signing next Thursday! :)

    ~peace~
    Never allow someone to be your Priority,
    While allowing yourself to be their Option.

    ‹^›_‹(ô¿ô)›_‹^›

    Please visit daily: www.theanimalrescuesite.com
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    aNiMaLaNiMaL Posts: 7,118
    idratherbe wrote:
    Here's a link from the library's web site:
    http://www.tacomapubliclibrary.org/Page.aspx?nid=64

    "Opening reception, gallery talk & book signing Thursday evening, December 11 beginning at 6 p.m."

    I may just toodle down there with my book for the signing next Thursday! :)

    ~peace~
    T-Town, baby!!!! Hell yeah!!! I will be there!! Thanks for the link to my own public library. :D
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    So how are we robbing this place?

    No kidding! That was my first thought also....... well not for me but how many will disappear.

    I hope that they end the show with as many as they started with!

    Going to view all of the posters will be my present this year!
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    Yeah, libraries!!!

    Wish I was closer to Tacoma.
    Hold On
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    I wonder if they do inter-library loan with these posters, they should send them around the country!

    I LOVE LIBRARIES!!!!!
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~PJ~~~~~~~~~~~~
    ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ KoL ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    1/14/95, Charlotte 2000, 2003:4/15, 4/16, 7/1, 7/5, 7/6, 7/8, 7/9, 2006: 5/27, 5/28, 5/30;6/17/08, 6/28/08
    *** www.myspace.com/pirljamgirl***
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    aNiMaLaNiMaL Posts: 7,118
    I wonder if they do inter-library loan with these posters, they should send them around the country!

    I LOVE LIBRARIES!!!!!
    Libraries kick ass!!!

    Puget Sound residents....this is for us!! Come to T-Town and enjoy some PJ posters in the gallery.
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    blondieblue227blondieblue227 Va, USA Posts: 4,508
    why Tacoma?

    i heart my local library.
    *~Pearl Jam will be blasted from speakers until morale improves~*

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