Forgot account? Copyright 2010–2019 Damn Arbor. DelGiudice started the stil… **NOTE: The Deluxe Cuff Knit Caps are custom made and any orders containing this item will not ship until late February or early March 2021. Jason Berry, who handles booking for the club, remembers the 1989 Nirvana show, as well as another act that just about destroyed the place. Berry said it's the music at the Blind Pig that keeps customers coming back. Fortunately, Rich Retyi's got a great Ann Arbor Stories for us. Safe too. Size is key to the Pig's success and longevity, said Berry, as is the club's proximity to the U-M. “A 400 (person) capacity allows us to survive on local music when the pickings are slim on the national touring circuit. Taylor Michaels gets a wristband from Aaron Roy at the entrance to the Blind Pig. Saint Andrew's Hall. Nice to hear the Pig's history summarized.-Tom IsaiaInventor. For Andrew Christopoulous of Grand Rapids, who drives over the club about once a month, the size of the Blind Pig is just right. To enter, customers must first pass muster at the door ("Fake I.D.s and underage drinking don't happen here like they do elsewhere. I saw Boogie Woogie Red, Koko Taylor,Luther Allison, Keb Mo, Flock of Seagulls, and many more. The “Blind Pig” spot — named after the club — aired Sunday, October 18th, during an NFL game and featured owner Joe Malcoun discussing how difficult it’s been for venues, bars and … Sections of this page. “Nirvana's tour stop at the Pig went so well (singer) Kurt Cobain declared us his favorite venue on the planet. Create New Account. The label is now based in San Francisco. One in an occasional series of feature articles on local music venues. 22K likes. Live Music Venue. Cooney agreed, adding that the Pig is “a good place to dance without the stereotypical Necto bump-and-grind thing. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of MLive Media Group, You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. A little Damn Arbor history for you, gentle reader. Blind Pig was formed in 1977 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by Jerry Del Giudice, owner of the Blind Pig Cafe, and his friend Edward Chmelewski. 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. Blind Pig is a phenomenon in the Ann Arbor area, and in fact in the entire area of southeast Michigan. Rich Retyi, DelGiudice is spelled with the i before the u, so you've pronounced it incorrectly. It's definitely worth a listen. Chakro: It's not closing... this is just a story about the club itself. The Ark - Ann Arbor. “I think that's true for every room in the country. 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. If you haven’t been to the Pig in a while, don’t worry — it probably hasn’t changed much, except for one thing. I love DMB!! For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see. (This post was revised to correct a typo and to remove a reference that included masked profanity.) In an Ann Arbor where nightspots seem to constantly change, the Blind Pig has been a cultural touchstone for almost 40 years. Thursday, March 30, 2017 The history of the Blind Pig on Ann Arbor Stories With news that the Blind Pig/8-Ball and their liquor license are up for sale, I can think of no better time than to dive into the history of the establishment. Blind Pig New Year Pop Up Shop None of the items shown below are available for sale anywhere else, so take advantage and place your order today! Ann Arbor Institutions: We Brought Back All the Shirts Seth November 27th, 2020 at 12:50 PM A lot of our favorite places in Ann Arbor were hurting with the pandemic and no football traffic, so we partnered this fall with Underground Printing to do a t-shirt a week for the places we love. It was a blow to see the building was up for sale back in February. “The fans just started tearing the place apart after the show,” he said. If you have fond memories of the 8 Ball and Pig, then you have to listen to this episode of Ann Arbor Stories. Create New Account. History Comments Share. 22K likes. Check out upcoming events at the Blind Pig - Ann Arbor's legendary live music club. sad to see it go. always liked the Blind Pig. The legendary status of the room is a byproduct of that. The Pig’s not fancy, and that’s fine — in fact, some say the funkiness is part of the charm. I moved back for grad school in 2009. featured heavily in my early adult life in Ann Arbor. We facilitate and strengthen the ongoing relationship between the artist and their fans. Aw man, bummed I missed DMB! #OnThisDay January 5th, 2013 @citizenzero played the Blind Pig! The Blind Pig opened in 1971. “For a small venue the sound is pretty good, and they have good prices on drinks, which is important,” added Ruby Hurliman, from the downriver Detroit area. The club was opened by two University of Michigan seniors, Tom Isaia and Jerry Delgiudice, in 1971, according to a chronology posted on its Web page. A blind pig is a type of speakeasy.. He also remembers punk band Circle Jerks’ near-destruction of the Pig in the early ‘80s. Naturally, we spent a great deal of time at the 8 Ball and Pig and have a lot of fond memories there. The money allowed Malcoun to become an angel investor, as well as co-found Cahoots, a co-working tech hub in Ann Arbor. Martin Bandyke is the 6-10am morning drive host at Ann Arbor’s 107one, WQKL-FM. The bar and main seating area are up front, close to First Street, and the dance floor and stage are at the back. FILL THE HORN!! But Ann Arbor just keeps on trucking. In 2017, Malcoun joined a group of investors to purchase the Blind Pig … We're just a vessel. ! “It’s just laid back and relaxed — not pretentious,” agreed Laura Cooney, another local. The stage is blah too. Can't wait to see you live again, hopefully soon! The Blind Pig, Ann Arbor's historic music club located downtown! Ann Arbor’s venerable Blind Pig is a place with plenty of history, probably because it’s been around long enough to see it happen, and maybe even stir up a little notoriety itself. The Pig gives the impression of being solid and familiar, like it’s been around for a while and has no plans to go anyplace else soon. The Blind Pig, 208 South 1st Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States 7349968555 . And whatever happened to those guys? On a personal note, the Bang! The ad made its debut on Sunday, October 18, … This is one of the few places that can accommodate a crowd of 100-200 people that actually want to dance,” he said. Never the Pig. Neon signs advertise various brands of beer, and framed drawings of musicians line the space above the bar. Though there is some hope that some bar/music venue may stay at the site considering the liquor license is also for sale. When it comes to live music venues, few will tough it out through five decades. Michigan, as of Saturday, had 144,897 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, 7,010 of which have resulted in death. or. I don't recall REM ever playing at the Blind Pig, although I DO recall them playing at Joe's Star Lounge on Main Street. ** I lived in a house on 3rd at Liberty with several of the other Damn Arbor founders. R.E.M. The Blind Pig A2, Ann Arbor, Michigan. The pair purchased an abandoned furniture store and named it Blind Pig after a slang term for police officers that had been bribed by speakeasy proprietors during ‘20s prohibition. We can adjust to ups and downs mainly because of our size.”. The Blind Pig represents the old form with new content - wine and grogs, no super-firewater. See more of The Blind Pig A2 on Facebook. As far as the decor goes, it's pretty typical, and definitely old-school. The Blind Pig, Ann Arbor's historic music club located downtown! One.Be.Lo performs at the Blind Pig on Wednesday. For more information on the Blind Pig, go to www.blindpigmusic.com or call 734-996-8555. “For Ann Arbor, it’s a good venue to have. When it opened, the Blind Pig was a café by day and a club by night, featuring blues music performed by some of the greats, including Koko Tayler, Boogie Woogie Red, Hound Dog Taylor and Roosevelt Sykes. History. Setlist: School • School • Scoff • Love Buzz • Floyd The Barber • Dive • Polly • Big Cheese • About A Girl • Spank Thru • Token Eastern Song • Negative Creep • Blew Blind Pig - Old Form New Concept, Ann Arbor Sun, October 27, 1972 Way back last spring Ann Arbor's only true Blind Pig opened its now infamous underground speakeasy to the boogiers of the community. Log In. The Blind Pig, Ann Arbor's historic music club located downtown! October 3, 1989 Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI. As far as the U-M goes, “we only need 400 (students) to wander down here for a show to sell out.” In the battle between Ann Arbor and Detroit for student business, Ann Arbor tends to win most of the time, Berry added. 208 South First Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Being just around the corner from the Blind Pig, we went to almost every … #citizenzero #rockclub #musichistory #blindpig #annarbor #michiganmusic #venue #concert #livemusic The Blind Pig A2, Ann Arbor, Michigan. “I like it that it’s kind of grungy. Log In. ANN ARBOR, MI -- The music venue in Ann Arbor that’s played host to acts ranging from Otis Rush and Nirvana to KRS-One is set to reopen this week. 22K likes. Rick's got Phish, too. The Blind Pig: Ann Arbor, MI: Apr 12, 2018 The Dirty Notion / J. Navarro & The Traitors / The Slackers: The Blind Pig: Ann Arbor, MI: Mar 23, 2018 Electric Six: The Blind Pig: Ann Arbor, MI: Jan 20, 2018 Adventures With Vultures / Brother Elsey / Great Expectations / Honey Monsoon: The Blind Pig: Ann Arbor… “It’s an outlet for all kinds of music,” she said. : ). That’s would be good news for Ann Arborite Melissa Landry, a frequent Pig-goer. But I like the blind logo inside the bar. Not bad. Not Now. First time in Ann Arbor but the parking was super convenient i stay 4 hours or so, maybe three got charged $6. I almost referred to us as the "Original Peaches" but decide against it. I’m very proud to be a part of that. or. But I really enjoyed the show, being so close to talent is so special wow. Mirrors make the club look bigger, red plush carpeting on some of the walls probably improve the acoustics. The things that make the Blind Pig so ideal for smaller acts such as the Ann Arbor Soul Club make it perfect other kinds of music as well — great sound, a decent-sized dance floor and an unpretentious atmosphere that makes it easy to let your hair down. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy, © 2013 MLive Media Group All rights reserved (About Us). So while the raid of a blind pig did have something to do with sparking the Detroit riots, it would be a stretch to say that the Ann Arbor nightclub was named after that raid. The Blind Pig, 208 South 1st Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, United States 7349968555 Blind Pig (bar in Ann Arbor) pro-Biden ad airing during NFL games Posted by PsychTiger on 10/18/20 at 1:24 pm 81 4 Owner blaming Trump for loss of business due to COVID shutdowns, claiming Joe Dementia would handle coronavirus and allow reopening. As great an improvement as it is, a Blind Pig without cigarette smoke just doesn’t seem the same, somehow. The Blind Pig A2, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Okay, who else besides me remembers seeing the Chickasaw Mudd Puppies at the Pig in around 1991? Accessibility Help. It’s a more mature way to dance,” she said. We drop the hammer," Berry said). Related Pages. “People come here because of who's on the stage more than because it's the world- famous Blind Pig,” he explained. Fortunately, Rich Retyi's got a great Ann Arbor Stories for us. A2 history! Roger LeLievre is a free-lance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com. A blog about life, Ann Arbor, and life in Ann Arbor. It’s got a lot of personality,” observed Ann Arborite Bill Melville, who was in the club recently to catch the monthly DJ gig from Ann Arbor Soul Club. They also built an additional bar, the cozy 8 Ball Saloon, downstairs. Powered by, The history of the Blind Pig on Ann Arbor Stories. Episode 28 is all about the Blind Pig and what happened last time it was sold. Edit. The Biden campaign recently ran an ad featuring Ann Arbor, Michigan venue the Blind Pig and its owner Joe Malcoun. See more of The Blind Pig A2 on Facebook. We are grad students, townies, and derelicts. In 1981, a local couple, Roy and Betty Goffett, bought and then expanded the business by purchasing an adjacent building and bringing the stage from the basement to the upper level. “I like it that it’s kind of grungy. Blind pig may also refer to: . The 8 Ball Saloon is open 7 Days a Week @ 3pm. Many memories. Saw Dave Mathews Band play there back in like 92 or 93, if i remember correct, before that became the huge success that they are now. The 8 Ball is down a flight of stairs to the basement. We don't look the other way. was at Joe's for sure. The Pig’s not fancy, and that’s fine — in fact, some say the funkiness is part of the charm. The tour was for s
until they came to the Pig, which sold out because the week before, Soundgarden told THEIR sold-out crowd to come back next week to catch ‘their friends in a band called Nirvana,’” Berry recalled. 3,428 Followers, 248 Following, 250 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from The Blind Pig A2 (@blindpig_annarbor) Didn't explore much. Press ... Sign Up. Simple theme. It is merely the result of bringing in what the people want to see for see for a very long time.”. aww, i'll always have fond memories of this place. 1 year ago at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor. Many locals who have moved on such as Brophy Dale, Al Hill, as well as Drivin' Sideways, The Jim Tate Band, and all my favorite locals. Local: Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Data: 03/10/1989 Formação: Kurt Cobain (Vocal e Guitarra) Krist Novoselic (Baixo) Chad Channing (Bateria) … In the late 2000s the label started a reissue vinyl series, featuring reissues from its back catalog on 180-gram high quality vinyl. Jump to. With news that the Blind Pig/8-Ball and their liquor license are up for sale, I can think of no better time than to dive into the history of the establishment. Most people don't know this, but we started this website back in 2010 when all of the original contributors were living together in a rental on 3rd at Liberty. Blind Pig (venue), a music venue in Ann Arbor, Michigan, US Blind Pig Records, San Francisco, US blues record label; Blind Pig, whiskey- and rum-flavoured ciders by HP Bulmer The larger room soon became a destination for local acts and touring bands such as Joan Baez, Bo Diddley, George Thorogood, REM, 10,000 Maniacs, Sonic Youth, Soul Asylum, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam and even Nirvana. Ann Arbor’s venerable Blind Pig is a place with plenty of history, probably because it’s been around long enough to see it happen, and maybe even stir up a little notoriety itself. 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