As the beloved Casbah closes its doors, McMaster students should be asking whether they are doing enough to support the city they call home
Hamilton’s music scene is in crisis. In the past few years, venues and music stores have been closing at an alarming rate.
These institutions are the fabric that hold the local music scene together. These spaces provide equipment and opportunities to meet and practice, and are places for musicians to perform for old fans and new. Without them, the music stops playing.
McMaster students, more than 35,000 strong, could offer a lifeline to the local scene through support and connection. But accomplishing this will require more than just individual enthusiasm.
Hamilton built a reputation for music over decades. But when Hamilton Musician, a website aimed at promoting and highlighting the local music scene, wrote: “Hamilton, Ontario is Canada’s best music city” in 2017, I don’t think they expected that all but one of the venues they listed as Hamilton’s most important would be closed in less than a decade.
The issues that the music scene faces are complex. " . . . [venues are being] gentrified out, rents are going up, condos are being developed . . . the economics of just running a live music venue have become quite challenging,” said Jim Perdikoulias, owner and manager at Central Hamilton’s Corktown Pub in an interview with the Silhouette. The pub is one of Hamilton’s oldest music venues. Perdikoulias purchased the establishment 11 years ago and since then has built a deep relationship with the local music scene.
. . . [venues are being] gentrified out, rents are going up, condos are being developed . . . the economics of just running a live music venue have become quite challenging.
Jim Perdikoulias, Owner and General Manager
The Corktown Pub
Perdikoulias is in the rare position of owning the building and business outright and not renting his space. This is contrast to the Casbah, whose closure was caused by its landlord selling the building late last year.
Despite his relatively stable position, Perdikoulias expressed concern for the music scene in Hamilton. “there are a lot of people that don’t wish to pay for [live music] . . . I’d like to have a vibrant music scene in the city, I know Hamilton is known for their live music," said Perdikoulias.
The disappearance of what some might call his competitors has brought Perdikoulias no joy. He knew that the community needed multiple venues to support local artists. Regardless of whether any venue’s closure would bring him business, its effects on the community, Perdikoulias recognized, could only hurt him.
Perdikoulias recognized the positive effect that McMaster students could have in preserving the local music scene and helping it grow and expressed a desire to create a space where students can enjoy local talents. He also recognized the challenges students face in attending live music. “I know the challenges there are to paying your tuition, your rent and balancing that with entertainment,” said Perdikoulias.
While promoting local music to students may offer a short-term solution, building a sustained relationship with the student community that could bring in big crowds will require effort from both sides.
The good news for venues and music fans alike? Students are enthusiastic about live music if The Grind’s recent success running open mics is any indication. “[They] have been insanely successful, it’s been really touching actually. We’ve had completely packed houses both times,” said Paige Hannan, The Grind barista who put together the recent open mic event.
The issue for the future of local music is turning this enthusiasm into support in the community.
While the details offered were sparse, Hannan suggested: “we are looking forward in the new year to hopefully be creating another platform with CFMU,” said Hannan. These soon-to-be-announced plans should offer local music supporters some hope, but whether students can rise to the challenge of building a bridge between McMaster and the struggling local community is yet to be seen.
We are looking forward in the new year to hopefully be creating another platform with CFMU.
Paige Hannan, Barista and Open-Mic Organizer
The Grind
While impatient students might take it upon themselves to bring their friends to a local show this weekend, the work of building and strengthening the local music community is yet to be done.
Students can can play a big role in saving local music. Now it’s time for us to to step up and show up, because Hamilton’s show must go on.
Pandemic restrictions impact student employees of the MSU
Two weeks before the McMaster Students Union closed the Grind Café for the rest of 2020, employees were unaware of the impending closure.
Located in the McMaster University Student Centre, The Grind had been operating on a reduced schedule and with reduced staff due to COVID-19 restrictions and the resulting lack of population on campus. In an email statement on Oct. 30, MSU Vice-President (Finance) Jess Anderson cited low foot traffic on campus and low usage at the Grind as the reason for the closure.
“During this time of transition, the MSU is committed to providing financial assistance to affected staff members, above and beyond the minimum standards defined by the Employment Standards Act. In addition, the MSU has provided guidance to staff in understanding and accessing available government programs related to COVID-19 support,” wrote Anderson.
However, it is unclear what the financial assistance entails.
Micaela Rayment, a full-time student and two-year Grind employee, had been working once per week at the Grind. Rayment, along with other employees, was working three hours per week.
Rayment began work as a teaching assistant at McMaster this semester and cited her reduction in Grind hours as the reason for an additional job.
“I had more hours last year, so I didn't have to have two jobs, right?” Rayment said,
The teaching assistant position is only for the fall term and Rayment said that she’ll have to find another job for the winter term.
“I think it'll probably be difficult. Especially since I'm in my final year and so I'll be entering into a job, only to leave it after graduating [and getting] into a job in my field. I won't be able to be too picky, but I know people who are trying to look for jobs right now and they're just not hearing anything back from anyone. So I don't know, not excited for that, if that's what has to happen,” added Rayment.
On Oct. 19, Rayment discussed her reduced hours but was unaware that the Grind would soon close. Rayment said that her supervisors had been upfront about reducing hours and had not heard anything about the Grind closing.
An employee of the Grind and TwelvEighty Bar & Grill, who requested anonymity due to conerns over job security, said on Oct. 19 that they believed the Grind would be closing shortly. Though they could not confirm with certainty, they said that they were led to believe that the MSU was looking to either further cut down or completely close the Grind café.
On Oct. 28, both Micaela and the source confirmed that the Grind would be closing on Nov. 2 indefinitely.
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The MSU has responded to pandemic restrictions and has created savings across the organization for students. The MSU organizational fee has been reduced, as well as a reduction in paid student employees.
Debbie Good, full-time manager of Compass Information Centre, explained that Compass normally employs 11 students in part-time positions during the year. Compass has been closed since the pandemic began and has been unable to re-employ any of the 11 students.
