Right at noon, President Joyce rang the bell and we sang a patriotic song. This was followed by the inspiration, a reading of one of Aesop’s Fables by John Juroe. Then, Don Duquette led us in singing the 1958 classic, “Witch Doctor.” Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang, you all!
After President Joyce welcomed guests and thanked the meeting volunteers, there were the following presentations:
- Tom Millard – “A Moment in Rotary History” discussing Calvin O Davis, including sponsorship of YMCA membership for 60 boys and first of its kind Father/Daughter Dinner
- Andrew Schleffler, a recent UM grad, discussed his Mentor/Mentee Program with Eli Savit on Zoom, noting a strong connection to the Ann Arbor Community.
- Joanne Pierson, “Remembering Millie Danielson,” Millie passed away three weeks ago in her home surrounded by family. A renowned fiber artist, her life exemplified service above self. Joanne lovingly encouraged us to live the “Millie Way.”
- Marlena Studer – Student Exchange described our Japanese exchange student. We are looking for Rotarians who would host her, attend professional volleyball and museums, visit NYC, attend an Ariana Grande concert, and go skilling.
Connect with Marlene about a social event at the Blue Llama on Dec 8
From flour mill to rock club
Our speaker today was Joe Malcoun, an angel investor involved with Kahoots, founder of Nutshell, and owner of The Blind Pig, who gave an overview of the Blind Pig’s history:
- The Blind Pig is in a building built in 1865, initially the Ann Arbor Mill Company.
- The Original Era was 1972 – 1985, focusing on Blue Music and also Blind Pig Records as a partner
- 1985 – 2017 sold to Betty and Ray Goffett – known as the Golden Era, financially secure, focusing on growing with and supporting artists. Bands like Nirvana and Kurt Cobain cited Best Club as The Blind Pig. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1yTkY2bSfs
- Lee Barry, founder of Prism Productions, was and is the booker.
Other notable factss:
- The Blind Pig hosted some of the first hip-hop bands.
- Eight Ball Bar in the building was Ann Arbor’s first sports bar.
The Quiet Years followed with Roy’s children in charge, focusing on fewer events with more well-known bands, moving away from nurturing new acts.
The current era, with Joe and Roger Aronberg as owners, is changing the model from a patron-driven model to an artist-audience-driven model.
Lessons they’ve learned along the way include:
- Focus on the artist’s experience.
- Execute at a high level.
- Rock clubs cannot exist on sheer will. They must have community support.
Questions were taken after the meeting
We concluded the meeting by reciting the Four-Way Test:
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Is it beneficial to all concerned?
