Friendly Fires Poster Dallas 2011

Concept and Process

A Friendly Fires poster for the English band’s show at the Granada Theater in Dallas, October 2011. First and foremost, I wanted to start and stay with a bright color palette to mirror the light, almost tropical sounds of their (at-the-time) most recent album Pala (NOTE: An underrated record that I think is due a reappraisal) This is also how I ended up incorporating feathers into the final piece ala the album’s cover. Very 70’s sci-fi and weightless and perhaps even breathless. Personally, it makes me think of sleep paralysis, which I’ve been one to experience from time to time, often when falling asleep to weird 70s sci-fi flicks like Saul Bass’ directorial feature Phase IV from 1979. To that end, the tone and the stippled airbrush/colored pencil textures I used are a reference to Rene Laloux’s ultra-bizarro 1973 sci-fi flick Fantastic Planet which, if you have not yet seen, I suggest you remedy. Sadly, this poster ended up only getting partially used as band members became sick the day of the show and the show itself was canceled as a result.