CHCH's Hide club closing after 7 years: George FM's tribute to an iconic venue

After seven years of unwavering service to the local scene, Hide, one of the last true clubs in Ōtautahi, has sadly announced its closure.

As a Cantabrian and a local Hide rat for many years, this one truly cuts deep.

The owners, Mitch Ryder and Sam Smith, revealed they had sold the business in an Instagram post on June 4, saying, “All great parties must come to an end.”

“After 7 amazing years, we have made the hard decision to sell our business and make way for the next chapter at 172 St Asaph Street.”

“To everyone who partied with us over the years, thank you. To all of our loyal regulars, promoters and artists, you have become a second family to us - you have made Hide more than just a nightclub.”

And it truly does feel that way - not only for a regular punter like myself, but for us here at George who have been amongst it all.

I’ve spent countless hours on that dance floor, talking bollocks in the smokers' area out back, and met the majority of the people I now call close mates in that club.

Hide was Christchurch's next great nightlife institution post-earthquakes, carrying the torch left by venues like Ministry and Double Happy. A club built on community and culture, a true safe and inclusive space that welcomed anyone from any background with a shared passion for dance music.

Hide Club did what every good club should do - host the biggest names in electronic music and be at the forefront of spotlighting up-and-coming talent.

The club quickly became internationally recognised as a must-stop on any artist’s tour schedule and was even nominated for ‘Best Club’ in the Drum & Bass Arena Awards in 2022.

Hide saw the start of many local and international careers. Kiwi artists such as Pirapus, SUUNE, Deep Notion, Emilie, and Lee Mvtthews all owe a significant part of their careers to this club.

“This is heartbreaking,” Lee Mvtthews reacted to the closure.

Pirapus added, “An iconic club that gave us so much. Will miss this. Love you hide.”

Back in 2023, our very own Sin Howard from George Drive had her first sold-out headline show at Hide Club.

On the closure, Sin said: “Thank you, Hide, for being home to so many of my favourite dancefloor moments! Including my debut South Island headline show, which sold out?!?!?

“Its loss will be deeply felt not only in the Ōtautahi scene, but NZ-wide. " The biggest thank you to the team at Hide and all the staff who always made it feel like home.

“What is the most important thing in the world? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. It is people, it is people, it is people.”

George FM Drive’s Brook Gibson added: “So sad to see a true beacon of hope in the clubbing landscape of NZ call it a day, but by god what a good run it had.”

A truly unreal club with a clubbing culture instilled in it like no other, testament to a genuinely passionate and dedicated team, long live hide and let’s hiss with one last dance!

Bax from George HQ agreed: “Hide Club was the best club in NZ hands down. We threw our first George FM event there in 2022, before George FM had even launched in Christchurch, and I was blown away at the club, a true purpose-built club with unreal sound, lighting and no ridiculous dress codes, egos or judgement.”

“Every act we brought through that club raved about it, which is no surprise - it was an epic space.”

“As a punter, outside of the George world, I spent many a night there too, some of my favourite nights, very sad to see it go, an iconic club in NZ run by a bunch of legends.”

George FM Breakfast’s General Lee paid tribute, saying: “Nothing came close to Hide. Run by legends for the electronic music lovers of Aotearoa. A proper club that will be missed!”

Beccie B added, “I grew up here as a raver, promoted shows, did designs for, played parties, talked a bunch of shit upstairs, cried, laughed and made friends for life. An iconic space that I had the pleasure of being a part of.”

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL VENUES, before we lose 'em all!

This news comes less than a year after another pillar in the Ōtautahi clubbing scene closed its doors.

In August last year, Flux announced its closure due to financial pressure and ongoing friction over noise complaints stemming from inner-city residential development.

https://www.rova.nz/articles/christchurch-nightclub-flux-to-close

Hide’s final closing dances will take place over the next month, culminating in the final event on June 27. The first of the final shows has been announced, with our very own Sin & Brook playing this Saturday night!

Plenty of opportunities to say goodbye to the best little club of this generation, our scene won’t quite be the same.