Decabet

Decabet (pronounced deck-uh-bet) is the gig poster and music design studio of Jason Malmberg, based in Sacramento, California. Founded in 2004, the studio specializes in limited-edition concert posters, record covers, festival branding, and related ephemera. Malmberg is an art director and creative director who has designed for some of the biggest names in rock, including Metallica, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon, and "Weird Al" Yankovic. His work blends collage, photography, and illustration, driven by a love of color and typography. The studio's output is characterized by bold, typographic design intended to be collected and framed rather than merely used as promotional material. Decabet's portfolio spans over two decades of music-related design. Malmberg has created multiple posters for Kings of Leon (five), Foo Fighters (four), and Metallica (two), as well as countless flyers, collectible prints, and limited-edition screen prints for Live Nation and independent artists. The studio also produces festival branding and record covers. Malmberg often writes case studies to share the thinking behind each piece, detailing his aims and whether the final work hit the mark. Operating as a private studio, Decabet sells its work through its official website, decabet.com, and takes on commissions. The studio's design philosophy centers on the intersection of art and graphic design, aiming to create pieces that live on a wall long after the music stops. Malmberg's broader portfolio of branding, web, and publication design work is hosted separately at jason-malmberg.com. Decabet remains an active name in the gig poster community, with a body of work that reflects the evolution of music visual culture from the mid-2000s to the present.

Decabet was founded in 2004 by Jason Malmberg in Sacramento, California, as a studio for gig poster design, record covers, festival branding, and related work at the intersection of music and visual culture. Malmberg began designing gig posters and concert prints that year, but it was not until his Digable Planets poster the following year (2005) that he began to find the beginnings of what would become his style. That shifting space where art and graphic design meet, dance, and intersect became his creative focus. One of the earliest compliments that stuck with Malmberg came from Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood, who called the poster Malmberg created for their Sacramento show "fine art." That comment helped him realize what he wanted his work to be: more than promotional material or merch, something that would live on a wall long after the amps cooled. A big part of Malmberg's education came from the now-defunct GigPosters.com, a legendary hub for designers around the world. Long before social media, its message boards provided a space where artists could exchange tips, share feedback, and learn practical details about screen printing. Through that community he discovered the importance of dithering, stochastic halftone patterns, and the delicate relationship between ink and paper. As a result, he learned as much about how to print as he did about why gig posters matter. The first few posters Malmberg made in 2004 for artists like Eyedea & Abilities and Muse became a process of discovery. During that time he wrestled with questions every new designer asks: Should he use the band's press photos? Stylize them? Include their logo, or build his own? There is no single right answer. Over more than two decades, Decabet has produced limited-edition concert posters, album art, and festival branding for artists such as Metallica, Foo Fighters, and Kings of Leon. Malmberg has designed five posters for Kings of Leon, four for Foo Fighters, two for Metallica, and has also worked with "Weird Al" Yankovic. Along the way there have been countless flyers, collectible prints, and limited-edition screen prints for Live Nation and independent artists alike. His work blends collage, photography, and illustration, all driven by a love of color and typography. Where possible, he has written case studies to share the thinking behind each piece: what he aimed for, how it evolved, and whether it hit the mark. Decabet operates as a private studio, selling its work through its official website, decabet.com, and taking on commissions. Malmberg's broader portfolio of branding, web, and publication design work is hosted separately at jason-malmberg.com. The studio remains active in the gig poster community, with a body of work that reflects the evolution of music visual culture from the mid-2000s to the present.

• 2005

  Malmberg creates his Digable Planets poster, beginning to find his signature style.

• 2004

  Jason Malmberg founds Decabet in Sacramento, California, and begins designing gig posters and concert prints.

• Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood calls Malmberg's poster for their Sacramento show "fine art," influencing his artistic direction.

• Decabet designs multiple posters for Kings of Leon (five), Foo Fighters (four), and Metallica (two), among others.

Bold, typographic music design destined for the frame, not just the telephone pole.

• Gig posters

  Limited-edition concert posters for major rock acts and independent artists.

• Record covers

  Album art and record covers for musicians.

• Festival branding

  Branding and visual identity for music festivals.

• Ephemera and juvenilia

  Flyers, collectible prints, and other music-related printed matter.

1. 1Decabet – Gig Posters and Music Design by Jason Malmberg | Sacramento, Californiadecabet.com
2. 2Who Is Jason Malmberg? – Art and Creative Director Behind Decabet | Sacramento, Californiadecabet.com
3. 3The Story Behind the Gig Posters & Concert Prints | Decabet | Jason Malmberg | Sacramento, Californiadecabet.com
4. 4Decabetwikidata.org