Mid 1960s

City of Virginia Beach letterhead featuring the Alan B. Shepard Civic Center.

Detail of the letterhead.

Envelope featuring Shepard’s Freedom 7 capsule.

Cool Letterhead

Of interest in the collection are the various letterheads found which exemplify the styles of the 1960s and 70s. The city of Virginia Beach employed a visually striking green color in their designs, even opting for matching green ink for their typewriters. Their letterhead featured a beautiful rendering of the Alan B. Shepard Civic Center (The Dome) with raised silver lettering. One envelope design featured the city’s official symbol commemorating the first US manned flight to space by Alan Shepard aboard the Freedom 7 capsule during the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission of May 5, 1961.

Dome box office statement featuring Virginia Beach’s characteristic green typewriter ink.

Engagement contract for James Brown & His Famous Flames.

James Brown’s autograph circa 1965.

James Brown

James Brown appeared at The Dome on November 16, 1965 with his Famous Flames Orchestra. As with many performance contracts in the collection this one includes the performer’s signature.  

Contract cover letter from Premier Talent Associates, Inc.

Sound equipment rental was just one of the many details to be covered.

Spec sheet for the show including Fender amps and a Trim-U-Lux reverb unit.

Flyer for the Peninsula Auditorium show.

Souvenir program cover.

Yardbirds

The Yardbirds played two shows in Hampton Roads, VA on January 15, 1966, first at 8:30pm at the Peninsula Auditorium in Hampton and then 11pm at the Dome in Virginia Beach (with a fast car ride in between).

Newspaper ad for the Rolling Stones.

Extra police were hired to prevent rioting during the first show. This angered Mick Jagger who protested and for the second show the police stood down.

A copy of "Paint It, Black" was included with the Rolling Stones press kit. Sadly this is the only piece of vinyl in the collection.

Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones played two shows at The Dome on July 4, 1966.

WLEE advertising agreement form.

Detail of spooky head.

Eerie Memo 

WLEE’s standard advertising agreement featured a black head with a lightning bolt coming through its mouth, like something from a Ouija board.