A2XA2

Although I intend to create a larger archive of posters on this website, there’s no reason I shouldn’t also include various design ephemera here in the blog. This is the full 11" x 17" poster for my upcoming show at the North Star Lounge in Ann Arbor. You might remember that I immortalized this cozy little venue in song on my last project. I have made a handful of appearances there over the past few years, always accompanied by CC. She’s sitting this one out because she’s about to become a mother — her due date is mere days after the gig . This will be my first time playing North Star on my own.

I tried to come up with a playful way to represent my solo-ness, emphasizing monochrome elements and negative space while also capitalizing on the A2 abbreviation. Colloquially, Ann Arborites refer to the city as A2 (or A-squared) and because I’m playing on August 2 (another A2) I benefit from a double meaning. I even have an A2 ball cap, courtesy of local bike shop Sic Transit Cycles which I wore in the photo. For a splash of color I blended a nice dusky blue-gray with peridot green because peridot is August’s birthstone.

Shrinking the design down to a square for Instagram was a challenge, so I added two additional panels and turned it into a quirky little triptych. The scribbled-out face was more of a random design element, but I think it also represents that I’m in a transitory creative period who’s identity has yet to be revealed. Reviewing it now, I wish I’d flipped the question mark upside down in the third panel, but this is how I published it. Oh well.

If you want to come hear me figuring it all out, tickets are available here. I’ll be debuting some new songs.