This is only a preview. The auction will open on: 10/28/2026 1:00:00 PM
Offered Here: Van Halen 1972 Blair High School Gym Mammoth Concert Flyer With COA
Item Details: This is an outstanding and remarkably early piece of Southern California rock history, featuring an original 8 1/2 x 11 inch promotional concert flyer for a headlining performance by Mammoth at the Blair High School gymnasium on Friday, June 9, 1972. This rare artifact represents a monumental era in the Pasadena music scene, capturing future rock icons Edward and Alex Van Halen, alongside original bassist Mark Stone, during the brief and legendary period before they adopted their permanent name. Performing a high school gym gig just as their local following was beginning to explode, this flyer represents the pure, grassroots energy of the band's formative year. For premier rock historians and advanced collectors of elite Van Halen memorabilia, this document is a highly coveted, foundation-level archive piece.
Provenance / Authenticity: This lot originates directly from the personal collection of Mark Stone, a multi-talented artist who was the original bass player and backing vocalist for Mammoth and Van Halen from 1972 to 1974 and an accomplished luthier. As a foundational figure in the band's legendary early history, Stone performed on their seminal studio demos and extended his creative contributions by designing the iconic original band logo utilized by Mammoth and early Van Halen. Offered directly from his estate, these historic items will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity signed by an authorized representative of the Stone estate.
Mammoth, the Pasadena band formed by brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen, built its following on the Southern California circuit of backyard parties, school dances and local halls, and became Van Halen in the mid-1970s after adding singer David Lee Roth and, later, bassist Michael Anthony. Signed to Warner Bros., the group released its self-titled debut in 1978, an album that RIAA certified Diamond and whose instrumental "Eruption" brought Eddie Van Halen's two-handed tapping technique to a wide audience and influenced generations of rock guitarists. Van Halen became one of the most commercially successful American hard rock bands and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Condition: The flyer is in extremely good condition, presenting beautifully and showing only minor signs of vintage wear, aging, and handled storage. The paper stock remains structurally strong and crisp, with the graphics and concert text remaining perfectly dark and legible. Authentic signs of its decades-long preservation include mild, uniform foxing around the outer borders and light creasing at the corners from historical handling. These soft characteristics are entirely standard for genuine 1970s concert ephemera and do not detract from the superb display quality of this scarce piece.
SKU: DST1007