When people first walk into the Blind Pig, perhaps the glare from all its mirrors may momentarily cause them to go blind. Mirrors advertising beer companies line both the concert room upstairs and the pool hall / darts wall downstairs, with bars on both floors. Although it would make sense, the bar does not get its name for these phenomena.
Instead, the term "blind pig" goes back to the '20s - the prohibition era in the United States. Since it was illegal to buy or possess alcohol during this period of American history, many people secretly snuck into underground taverns which were referred to as blind pigs. Being an illegal operation, most of them were well hidden from sight. Such devices as fake doors or hidden passageways were created, along with the use of passwords in order to maintain their secrecy.
When at the Blind Pig, patrons get an odd feeling of being both in the present and the past with its mixed decor. Huge modern televisons hanging from the ceiling in nearly all corners of the rooms provide patrons with the latest sports news on ESPN. Yet the dim lighting and the chipped wooden booths with their worn ruby plastic coverings add a cozy, timeless feel to the bar.
"I love these booths. I come here and sit and relax with my friends ... and just have a good time," said Marian Park, an LSA sophomore.
A larger-than-life poster of James Dean covers the entire door to the women's bathroom, whereas a similar poster of Marilyn Monroe hangs on the men's bathroom door, adding to the bar's classic feel. That's not to mention its old-fashioned fire-engine-red popcorn machine. Likewise, an aged cigarette dispenser, with knobs to pull for one's choice of a brand, stands nearby A '60s-ish jukebox plays CD selections such as Dr. Dre and Soundgarden, helping to finish off the bar's timeless decor.
If you're not in the mood to lounge on one of the many high stools or at the bar tables scattered across the Blind Pig, they offer pinball machines, dart boards and three pool tables - with free pool everyday from 3 to 8 p.m. A stage with a retro-ish blue and white floor tiling is set up on the ground floor where bands such as Pearl Jam played in '92 and Nirvana played several times. A mini-bar lined with pictures and charcoal drawings of such stars as Mick Jagger, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley is located upstairs, and a regular bar advertising the beer of the month - currently Rolling Rock - is downstairs.
Todd Headrick, general manager of the Blind Pig, finds this aspect of the Blind Pig most interesting. "I would say what is unique about the Blind Pig is that it's a music showcase upstairs and a bar downstairs," he said.
The Blind Pig opened in the late '70s as a blues club, but at about half or even less of its current size. Its patrons mainly consisted of radical left-wing students with socialistic ideology. After all, right next door was an underground student newspaper - the Student Democratic Society, which printed articles criticizing the government.
During the '80s, as the Blind Pig began to expand, it gradually turned into a rock 'n' roll club as the rest of the nation went into a frenzied high of pop-rock culture now known as the "Big '80s." Pool tables were added to the bar in September 1987, while the Blind Pig was under constant construction as it nearly doubled its size. In the '90s the bar once again underwent a change as it evolved into a concert club with national and regional as well as local bands performing.
The Blind Pig hosted a fund-raiser for WCBN, the University campus radio station, last Friday. Jackopierce will be performing Nov. 15. Tickets can be purchased at TicketMaster, the Michigan Union and Schoolkids Records. More information can be obtained by checking out their web site at http//:www.arborlink.com/blindpig. Located on South First Street, the Blind Pig is fairly easy to spot and parking is plentiful in a parking structure directly across the street from the bar. The bar tends to get crowded during the evenings with University students and local residents coming to relax and unwind after at their day's end.
Everyday, people 19 years old and up are admitted; special nights such as (with two pieces of identification). Cover charges range from $5 to $12 depending on who is playing.
"The Blind Pig has a fun and relaxing atmosphere. There are a lot of regulars - pool's one of the main attractions. Most of the employees are about the same age and this is a low-tension, relaxed setting for employees and patrons," bartender Russ Swinson said.
A local Ann Arbor resident and several friends agree. "We come here two to three times a week to shoot (pool). Everyone's really friendly, especially the bartenders." Aaron Taylor said.
Hundreds of pictures of the many regulars dressed up in New Year's Eve or Halloween costumes for the past nine years line the hallways of the Blind Pig. If the Prohibition era was ever to resurface, these funny-looking, dressed-up Ann Arbor residents would definitely be regulars at this Blind Pig.
FILE PHOTO/Daily
The Blind Pig has been one of Ann Arbor's most popular venues for newer artists since the '70s.