Poe Ditch Music Festival On Stage Pass – Bill Gans

An extraordinarily rare On Stage photo ID pass from the Poe Ditch Music Festival — one of the most legendary and controversial rock events in Bowling Green, Ohio history — sourced directly from the personal archive of Bill 'Doc' Gans, SHOWCO sound engineer and road veteran of the classic rock era.

Held at Doyt Perry Stadium on the campus of Bowling Green State University and produced by the BGSU Cultural Boost Office and Ross Todd Productions, the Poe Ditch Festival drew a remarkable lineup: Johnny Winter, Golden Earring, Montrose, Pure Prairie League, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Richie Havens, Styx, and The Outlaws. It became the stuff of local legend — and the last large-scale rock concert of its kind at the venue, marked by controversy over security search policies and ticket sales.

This pass — bearing Bill Gans' photo and handwritten name, No. 232 — granted him On Stage access to all of it. A hand-assembled, laminated photo credential from an era before standardized backstage passes, when every festival had its own system. One of the most historically significant pieces in Doc's archive.

Fragile — very old, shows extreme age-appropriate wear, delaminating edges, and surface deterioration consistent with 50+ years of storage. A true survivor.

• Item: On Stage photo ID pass
• Event: Poe Ditch Music Festival
• Venue: Doyt Perry Stadium, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio
• Organizer: BGSU Cultural Boost Office / Ross Todd Productions
• Lineup: Johnny Winter, Golden Earring, Montrose, Pure Prairie League, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Richie Havens, Styx, The Outlaws
• Issued to: Bill Gans
• Pass No.: 232
• Access: On Stage
• Sound Engineer: Bill 'Doc' Gans
• Source: Bill 'Doc' Gans personal archive
• Condition: Fragile — very old, significant deterioration, handle with extreme care
• Provenance: From the SHOWCO Archives — the ONLY official source for authenticated SHOWCO ephemera

Proceeds from this sale support music industry charities.