Hatch Show Print @ EMP

Recognize the above poster style? You should. Even though it's not a household name, the Hatch Show Print company's back-to-basics aesthetic can be seen on everything from White Stripes concert posters to wine labels to CNN presidential debate demos. This Saturday, the EMP will unveil their new exhibit "American Letterpress: The Art of Hatch Show Print".
Hatch Show Print is a Nashville, TN, institution and is considered one of the major founding fathers of modern-day poster art. When I stopped in during a visit to Nashville about seven years ago, I was treated to an impromptu tour of the joint, with current owner and Hatch revivalist Jim Sherraden showing me the original tin types and woodblocks he had salvaged. These were used for prints of Hank Williams' famous shows at the Ryman Auditorium, as well as Bill Monroe. Hell, Sherraden even printed a fresh copy of the Hank Williams print right there on-the-spot. It's now framed and hanging in my kitchen.

Gene Stout of the P-I says in today's paper that this is a must-see for anyone who enjoys strolling through Flatstock at Bumbershoot. I'd add to that that it's a must-see for anyone interested not just in music, but a significant piece of American history. Out of all the things that made my trip to Nashville amazing (which included sitting near Emmylou Harris at an acoustic Steve Earle show and saying hi to Earle on the street earlier in the day), dropping by Hatch was at the top of the list...beat out only by seeing the suit Hank Williams wore for his first Opry performance hanging in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The show will run through July 16, so you have plenty of time to check it out. But this weekend's opening will feature a letterpress workshop and a performance by REVERBfest fave Michael Vermillion.