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In 1981 Isaia and Delgiudice moved on, transferring ownership of the Pig to an area couple, Roy and Betty Goffett. The Goffetts, along with coordinating manager Todd Headrick, led the club through a period of considerable change.
The '80s saw the significant expansion of the establishment, both physically and artistically. The Goffetts more than doubled the interior space of the club by purchasing an adjacent building and bringing the stage area from the miniscule basement to the upper level. They also added an additional bar, The Eightball Saloon, downstairs.
This new version of the Pig made it possible to drastically alter the musical itinerary. Whereas the basement area of the '70s was tightly confined, and therefore not conducive to loud rock shows, the new setup was ideal for just that.
The Pig quickly became a hot spot for both local acts and touring bands. Names as notable and varied as Joan Baez, Bo Diddley and George Thoroughgood - who even filmed the video for his "Treat Her Right" there - graced the Pig's banner during the early '80s.
Aside from already well-established artists, the Blind Pig also played host to a wide variety of bands from the then-underground punk, new wave, and "college rock" genres. Bands such as REM, 10,000 Maniacs, Sonic Youth, Soul Asylum and The Rollins Band played there early in their careers, well before they hit the big time.
