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Throughout the years The Blind Pig, a popular local nightclub and concert venue, has played an instrumental role in the ushering in and showcasing of this musical activity. Since its incarnation almost 30 years ago, The Blind Pig has gone through several phases, each of which has been equally notable in the annals of Ann Arbor's cultural diary.
Two University seniors, Tom Isaia and Jerry Delgiudice, started the club in 1971. They purchased what was then an abandoned furniture store and did some renovations, which included building a small stage and bar in the basement. They named it "The Blind Pig" after a Detroit slang term for police officers that had been bribed by speakeasy proprietors during the prohibition era of the 1920s, and, with that, a legend was born.
The Blind Pig of the '70s was a considerably different entity than the one that we know today. It was not strictly a nightclub, but also doubled as a café. Serving cappuccino, pastries and other such coffeehouse delicacies during the daytime, the establishment helped open Ann Arbor up to the "coffee culture" that can now be found on virtually every street corner in the country.
The night scene at the Pig also leaned a bit more toward finer and more eccentric tastes than the average town pub. There was an extremely limited bar that served only top-quality items. Guinness was the only beer on tap and several varieties of French wine were available, as were premium brands scotch, Irish whiskey and other liquors.
