This is only a preview. The auction will open on: 10/28/2026 1:00:00 PM
Offered Here: Van Halen 1972 Mammoth Memorial Weekend Concert Flyer With COA
Item Details: A rare and exceptionally preserved piece of southern California rock history, this lot features an original concert flyer documenting the earliest roots of Van Halen. Measuring 8 1/2 x 11 inches, the flyer promotes a Memorial Day weekend performance by the band under their original name, Mammoth. The historic event took place on May 28, 1972, at the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center. Representing the vital embryonic stage of the band's career, this flyer is an incredible artifact from the backyard party era that birthed the legendary group, making it an essential acquisition for any serious rock and roll archivist.
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.
Before they became Van Halen, brothers Eddie and Alex Van Halen played the Pasadena-area party and club circuit as Mammoth, with Eddie initially handling lead vocals before David Lee Roth joined and the group adopted the family surname. After years of building a following in southern California, the band signed with Warner Bros. and released its self-titled debut album in 1978, which introduced Eddie Van Halen's two-handed tapping technique on the instrumental "Eruption" and reshaped the vocabulary of rock guitar. Van Halen became one of the most commercially successful American rock bands of the late 1970s and 1980s and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Condition: This original flyer survives in exceptionally good condition, showcasing remarkable preservation for ephemeral paper of this era. It exhibits only common, minor signs of aging and standard storage wear over the decades, including very light corner creasing. A vintage pen inscription is present near the center of the flyer, adding to the authentic, time-capsule character of this half-century-old piece of music history.
SKU: DST1013