A large and impressive French concert poster advertising The Clash’s appearance at the 2nd Mont de Marsan Punk Festival, and the release of their debut single, “White Riot.”

Though French president Valery Giscard D’Estang had banned rock festivals, Europe’s first punk festival in took place in August 1976 in the small French city of Mont de Marsan.  A second festival was held there the following year, featuring The Clash, as noted on this poster, as well as The Damned, Eddie & The Hot Rods, Dr. Feelgood, The Police, and a number of French groups.

This impressive poster was formerly owned by the festival’s organizer and Skydog Records owner, Marc Zermati.  It measures 30 3/4″ x 40 1/2″ and is in very good+ condition, with handling and some soft horizontal creasing from having been rolled. There is some tape residue on the back at the bottom corners from having been attached to a wall, but this is invisible on the front.  “Printed in France by Regie Internationale” appears on the bottom right edge.

The only example we’ve seen of this rare poster.  With Recordmecca’s written lifetime guarantee of authenticity, and a letter from the former owner noting this was formerly in the collection of Marc Zermati.

From the Concerts Fandom website: The Mont de Marsan Punk Festivals were held twice in August 1976 and 1977, in a small city in the deep South West of France, Mont de Marsan…during a time where the conservative President Giscard D’Estaing had outlawed music festivals entirely.

The first took place in August 1976. Marc Zermati [of Skydog Records] was in close contact with Malcolm McLaren and the burgeoning British music scene. Whilst Paris boasted a hub of Punk fans and followers, devotees of the New York Dolls and keen observers of the scenes brewing in London, the choice of location was far from arbitrary. Due to the banning of outdoor music events, Zermati hooked up with his contacts in the sleepy city of Mont de Marsan in order to keep a low profile and avoid persecution…The Arenes de Plumaçon, a bullfighting ring, was chosen as the venue, and the festival was marketed as the first Punk Rock Festival in Europe. Headlining were Eddie and the Hot Rods, and the Pink Fairies, but the highlight was an appearance by The Damned. Supposedly, the Sex Pistols were invited but refused, having seen Eddie and the Hot Rods headlining and owing to some prior beef with Zermati. But amongst the attendees, quoted somewhere between 600-1400, was a young Ian Curtis, with his wife Deborah.

The second festival in the bullring saw 4000 attendees gather under the blistering Landes sun, to see The Damned return, alongside other British acts like The Police, The Clash, Dr Feelgood and Eddie and the Hot Rods who also returned to headline Sunday. French acts included Strychnine, Marie et les Garçons and Asphalt Jungle. The Jam were unable to perform, but much to the enjoyment of the audience, Lou Reed played the arena on the Monday night.

In 1978, the authorities prevented the festival from taking place and it was “relocated” to La Rochelle. It was necessary for the organizers to wait for the arrival of the new mayor, Philippe Labeyrie, in 1983 to bring the festival back to Mont-de-Marsan for three more editions, in 1984, 1985 and 1986. It was then more rock, with punk being a little out of fashion. The Pogues and Nina Hagen participated. However, without financial support from the city, the festival disappeared after the fifth edition.