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.

C/O Ainsley Thurgood

The return to in-person learning in winter 2022 also means the return of students supporting local businesses

Whether it be for a coffee run at Paisley’s or a pitstop for pho at Saigon Asian Restaurant, Westdale Village and the businesses located there are staples within the McMaster community. However, Westdale’s streets lined with red brick houses and tudor-style architecture have been devoid of the hustle and bustle of students since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Now, Westdale’s businesses are eagerly awaiting the return of the students for the in-person winter 2022 semester to bring life back to the streets of Hamilton.

For businesses in the Westdale area, the COVID-19 pandemic came as a double hit to their operations. Not only were they affected by provincial regulations limiting their services, but McMaster’s transition to online learning also meant businesses in the area lost large portions of their clientele as student leases were terminated and students went back to attending school from their childhood bedrooms. 

Back in October, McMaster finally announced that the Winter 2022 semester would be fully in-person and students should expect to be back on campus in January of the coming year. To ensure safety and comfort in the return to campus, Back to Mac COVID-19 training is mandatory for all students and access to McMaster facilities will be restricted to those who have uploaded proof of vaccination and completed the MacCheck assessment tool.

Though many students have already returned to life in and around campus, the transition from blended to fully in-person learning is bringing the remainder of McMaster’s student population back to the Hamilton area. Even with the partial return over the last few months, Westdale’s businesses have seen drastic changes.

“Westdale isn't the same without students there . . . Come January, learning in-person will help even more as we depend on students for both business and community,” said Mohammad Emami, the owner of Nannaa Persian Eatery in Westdale.

Overall, the sentiments of business owners towards the return of students have been resoundingly positive.

“The support has just been amazing since [students] have been back and it's nice to see the village lively again,” said Leo Tsangarakis, CEO of The Burnt Tongue.

However, many businesses are still itching for the full return of students to the area. Westdale Pilates, which opened just over a year before the beginning of the pandemic, has had to make extensive changes to its operations due to the lower population in Westdale and provincial guidelines. The pilates studio has shifted to smaller class sizes and more therapeutic classes, especially private sessions. 

Though the small classes have allowed them to put more of a focus on individual growth in class, the studio has had to increase their pricing in order to sustainably stay open. Without the traffic of students, taking classes at Westdale Pilates has regrettably become more inaccessible than pre-pandemic, with increased pricing and fewer student discounts. 

“There’s not a lot of undergrad students coming to classes. Previously, with mat classes being more financially accessible, I could fill them with more people. That would mean I could drop the prices and have a lot of student discounts, but right now only having four people in class, as sad as it is I can’t drop [prices] as low. It has to make financial sense for me to pay people to instruct at the same time,” said Karina Vohle, the owner and founder of Westdale Pilates.

As students return to the area, businesses are beginning to see increased traffic, slowly but surely lifting some of the financial strain caused from operating through the pandemic.

Beyond students, Westdale businesses also largely employ McMaster students to keep their businesses running. At the heart and soul of their operations lies students who have been absent from the area for far too long.

Soon to once again be home to students and families alike, the streets of Westdale are yours to explore. Support local businesses while fueling your craving of the day — whether it be caffeine, bubble tea, korean rice dogs or good old-fashioned soup and a sandwich.

“Now that things are going back to normal, I would encourage [students] to really explore the neighborhood. Westdale has a lot to offer, whether it's restaurants or the coffee shops around the Westdale area. Take advantage of the fact that things are going back to normal and explore the neighborhood and what it has to offer,” said Emami.