Blind Pig (venue)

American music venue in Ann Arbor, Michigan

For other uses, see Blind pig (disambiguation).

The Blind Pig

The Blind Pig's logo

The Blind Pig in 2010

Location| 208 S. First Street Ann Arbor, MI
Coordinates| 42°16′49″N 83°45′05″W﻿ / ﻿42.28023°N 83.75126°W﻿ / 42.28023; -83.75126
Capacity| 400[1]
Opened| 1971; 54 years ago (1971)[1]
Website
www.blindpigmusic.com

The Blind Pig is a music venue in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The club was established as a home for blues musicians, although today it books predominantly indie rock acts and local groups.

## History

[edit]

The Blind Pig opened in 1971. Tom Isaia and Jerry DelGiudice created it as a European-influenced cafe, complete with espresso/cappuccino, a unique and varied food menu, including home made soups, Italian biscotti, crostini, a full wine and beer list, and top-notch blues entertainment. The partners renovated an old downtown Ann Arbor building and named the combined cafe/club after illegal after-hours gathering places, referred to by the slang term 'blind pig', another name for a speakeasy.[1] DelGiudice started the still-operating Blind Pig Records recording label in 1975 to showcase music by many of the groups who performed regularly at the club.

Isaia and DelGiudice sold the venue in 1979 to Dave Whitmore,[2] who in turn sold to Roy and Betty Goffett three years later. They doubled the club's space by renovating the rear portion of the building, opening the 8-Ball Saloon on the lower level and moving the stage to the more spacious main floor. The expansion made the venue more conducive to crowd-heavy rock shows and has hosted acts such as Tally Hall, Joan Baez, Bo Diddley, George Thorogood, 10,000 Maniacs, Sonic Youth, Soul Asylum, Bob Mould, Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Velvet Beat, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, No Doubt, Dave Matthews Band, Tool, Jewel, Godsmack, Papa Roach, and John Mayer.[3][1]

Since then, the Blind Pig has attracted a steady stream of up-and-coming acts, hosting shows almost every night all year round.

## Trivia

[edit]

* In 1989, a then little-known Nirvana performed a sold-out show at the Blind Pig, thanks in large part to Soundgarden, who recommended the band during its sold-out performance a week prior.[1] In a televised MTV interview years later, they cited the Blind Pig as their all-time favorite venue to play.[4] A tribute to the band created by the Goffetts lines a wall by the entrance to the club.
* The Blind Pig was cited as one of the primary reasons for Ann Arbor's listing as the #7 "Campus Scene That Rocks" in a 2003 RollingStone Magazine feature.[5]
* The Blind Pig appeared in a Biden for President commercial in October 2020 leading up to the November 2020 presidential election. The commercial cited President Donald Trump's lack of a COVID-19 response to assist music venues like The Blind Pig that have been shuttered since March 2020.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Though a newspaper article refers to the use of the name as a term for a police officer who looks the other way at illegal alcohol sales.LeLievre, Roger (29 August 2010). "History - and some great music over the years - at fun, funky Blind Pig". The Ann Arbor News. Mlive.com. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
2. ^ Land Contract Sale, as recorded in Washtenaw County records
3. ^ "Blind Pig Music". Archived from the original on 2009-08-28. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
4. ^ Reimink, Troy. "Watch video of Nirvana's legendary 1990 performance at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor". mLive.com. mLive. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
5. ^ Anonymous. "Campus Scenes That Rock." Rolling Stone 20 Feb. 2003: 45-47. Chadwyck IIMP. ProQuest. 15 Mar. 2008. Keyword: "Blind Pig" "Ann Arbor".
6. ^ The Detroit News. "Struggling Ann Arbor club owner in Biden ad: 'This is Donald Trump's economy'"Reimink, Troy. "Struggling Ann Arbor club owner in Biden ad: 'This is Donald Trump's economy'". detroitnews.com. DetroitNews. Retrieved 2020-10-18. Keyword: "Blind Pig" "Ann Arbor".

## External links

[edit]

* Official site
* Blind Pig Records
* Blind Pig on LocalWiki

* v
* t
* e

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Education|

| Basic|

* Ann Arbor Public Schools
* Huron HS
* Pioneer HS
* Skyline HS
* Community HS
* Clonlara School
* Greenhills School
* Rudolf Steiner School

|

Higher|

* University of Michigan
* Concordia University Ann Arbor
* Washtenaw Community College

Landmarks|

* Arborland Center
* The Ark
* Hands-On Museum
* Blind Pig
* Bookstore Mural
* Briarwood Mall
* Burton Memorial Tower
* Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor
* Michigan Theater
* Old West Side District
* Performance Network Theatre
* State Theatre
* St. Patrick's Parish Complex
* Tower Plaza
* University of Michigan Health System
* C.S. Mott Children's Hospital
* University Towers
* Veterans Memorial Arena

Culture|

* Art Fairs
* Film Festival
* Arborough Games
* Cannabis laws
* Hash Bash
* Jazz at Ann Arbor
* Shakespeare in the Arb

Media|

* Ann Arbor Argus
* The Ann Arbor News (AnnArbor.com
* Ann Arbor Business Review)
* Ann Arbor Observer
* Ann Arbor Sun
* Automobile
* Car and Driver
* Found Magazine
* Midwestern Gothic
* Repast
* Road & Track
* Signal of Liberty

Transportation|

* Transportation Authority
* Blake Transit Center
* Amtrak station
* Municipal Airport

History|

* Ann Arbor automobile
* Ann Arbor Hospital murders
* Michigan Anti-Slavery Society
* Michigan Murders

* Category

Authority control databases: Geographic |

* MusicBrainz place

|

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