No more rock for The Casbah
The legendary Hamilton music venue closed its doors for condos to stand where it once stood
Hamilton is well known for its vibrant music scene. From punk to hip-hop, The Casbah has been a place for local acts to perform since 2004. The beloved venue went out with a bang with its final show on Jan. 25, 2025. The building, located at the corner of King Street West and Queen Street West, has been sold for condos to be built in its place.
The Casbah has always been a home for local artists to find an audience, and it remained that way until the very end. In its final week, the venue hosted an impressive series of shows each day, celebrating the art, life and music that Hamilton has to offer.
The final show was a tribute to Mary McNutt, a familiar face to Casbah regulars and one of Hamilton's biggest supporters of live music.
"Even on our slowest nights, we could always count on Mary to show up for the show, even for performers she’d never met," wrote The Casbah in a post on Instagram. Whether it was a quiet night or a sold-out show, Casbahregulars could often find McNutt in the crowd.
Even on our slowest nights, we could always count on Mary to show up for the show, even for performers she’d never met.
The Casbah via Instagram
On the night of Jan. 23, 2025, McMaster University's campus radio station 93.3 CFMU hosted a celebration of The Casbah, featuring performances from local bands and artists including Capitol, Peer Review and Hamilton hip-hop icon Lee Reed.
For Peer Review, this was both their first and last time performing at The Casbah, a testament to the venue’s commitment to supporting new and local artists even in its final days. After an electric 20-minute set, lead guitarist Kyle expressed concern that Hamilton’s local music scene is diminishing.
Capitol followed with an entrancing set, blending ethereal vocals and droning guitars in a fusion of shoegaze and punk rock. RJ, the band's lead guitarist, reflected on his journey from playing in high school to rediscovering his passion for music as an adult.
"It was right after the pandemic, I think late 2021. We played a show here, it was sold out and there were a lot of people. It was just the best feeling," said RJ.
The Casbah will be missed by music fans across Hamilton, but hope remains for live music supporters with venues like Doors Pub: Taco Joint and Metal Bar, The Corktown and The Gladstone Tavern, which continue to host local acts.
