History of Wilmington concerts is seen in a collection of show flyers

Over the past year of the pandemic, I’ve missed seeing show posters and handbills around Wilmington: Those atypical pieces of art, taped or thumb tacked to a surface, telling us a band is coming to town.

The same on social media – no flyers for live music, homegrown events or plays.

In the past couple of weeks, as things have begun to re-open, show posters have started to pop up again.

One was for an album release show by Wilmington band The Girls at Reggie’s 42nd Street Tavern. Another was for the upcoming May 29 show with bands All Tore Up and Reason to Ignite, also at Reggie’s. I cite these two because the posters are for local bands, and they’re also because they’re homemade.

Show posters have a long history, and some, like those created for famous musicians or by well-known artists, are sought out by collectors. It’s a fantastic art form that’s been the subject of coffee…