Episode 28 – Ashley Graham // Art Director at The Fillmore

“In San Francisco, first there was a guy named Bill Graham – ever heard of him? Famed concert promoter, legend of the city, basically responsible for so much of San Francisco’s iconic musical past. But fast-forward a few decades, and you know who holds one of the keys to the city’s scene now? Another Graham, the new homie, Ashley Graham, Art Director at The Fillmore Auditorium. Although there’s no familial relation to Bill, it’s kind of remarkable that they share a last name – and that both, in their own respective ways, have done their damn thing to shape the musical scene here in San Francisco.

In my opinion, Ashley’s role is vital. She’s shepherding the visuals that tie into the concerts at The Fillmore. You know those free posters you get after a show? Ashley’s the one in charge of finding the poster artists and working with them to make those prints a reality. So next time you see her on the street, definitely say thank you. If you’re unfamiliar with how legendary The Fillmore posters are, I definitely recommend giving this episode a listen. Creating a poster for The Fillmore is a dream job for any visual artist – and I’m lucky to have done a few myself. I’m stoked to share today’s episode with you, where we dive into that process and into Ashley’s world.

So much of the BEDROOM™ Podcast stems from my love of the arts, the Bay Area, and San Francisco – and Ashley hits all the marks when it comes to the kind of guests I’m looking to talk to. She’s kind, well-spoken, talented, and contributes a lot to the cultural scene of the city. Ashley fucking rips, and I’m glad to know her. Hell yeah Ashley!

In this episode of BEDROOM™, Ashley shares how she landed the job as Art Director of The Fillmore. We rewind back in time to talk about her Washington roots and what it’s been like working for Live Nation – and, at one point, working for the legendary Sasquatch Music Festival. We dive into poster talk, heavy – Ashley shares all the fun insider info about what it’s like being the official curator of all the Fillmore show posters. She talks about how she goes about choosing artists for a show, and how she balances the visual history of the storied Fillmore’s past while ushering in the Fillmore visuals of the future. She shares some fun behind-the-scenes info on the poster-making process and shouts out some of her favorite posters she’s worked on. From there, we get into some listener-submitted questions – one from fellow poster artist Fez Moreno and one from comic artist / illustrator and BEDROOM™ alum Emma Munger. Then we talk about her side hustle, Rewind Presents, which she runs with her friend Chloe. They screen films at the Roxie Theater often paired with drag shows, and Ashley shares more about that ongoing event series.

Finally, we wrap things up with a round of BEDROOM BANTER™, where I rapid-fire some classic BEDROOM™ questions – and Ashley gives the fans what they want. Big shoutout to Ashley Graham for coming on the pod. Welcome to the BEDROOM™, y’all. WORLDWIDE PEACE.” – PSG

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Ashley Graham's Socials & Websites
Ashley's Instagram: @aaashleygraham
Rewind Presents' Instagram: @rewindpresentssf

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