Check out Ridiculous for upcoming events at 38 King William (Lower Level) Downtown Hamilton!
“RIDICULOUS”: A Bold New Comedy & Music Venue opens in the Heart of Downtown Hamilton
Hamilton, ON — December 19, 2025 — A frequent topic of conversation in and amongst our city’s night economy has been venue instability. A number of venues have closed, some abruptly, over the last few years, but perhaps it’s time for a swing in the other direction.
Downtown Hamilton is about to welcome an exciting new cultural landmark. RIDICULOUS, a dynamic comedy and music venue located inside the historic Right House Department Store Building, is set to redefine nightlife and live entertainment in the city’s core.
Founded by Matteo Merla and his wife Amy, RIDICULOUS was born from a moment of pure discovery. While exploring the historic building—once home to one of Hamilton’s longest-running dance clubs, Fever—the couple reached the basement, where a bold vision came to life. When Amy looked at Matteo and said, “You cannot do this. This is ridiculous,” the name — and the spirit — of the venue was instantly sealed.
RIDICULOUS is far more than a traditional music venue. With a total capacity of up to 350 guests, the space is designed as a multi-functional entertainment hub, featuring two stages, comedy and live music programming, hypnotist shows, corporate events, and immersive performances. The venue also offers beautifully designed cocktail lounges, premium drinks, and carefully selected snacks—creating an unforgettable experience every night.
The concept was eventually brought to Brodie Schwendiman, long-time operator and music promoter of The Casbah, the city’s longest standing original music venue (2001-2025). It was immediate to him that the energy was right, and that a team-up is exactly what the concept needed. Schwendiman has been a major driving force behind the project and a passionate supporter of bringing this iconic space back to life — and will be bringing along a number of his “Friends of Casbah” team members.
An official announcement of a showcase event will take place in early January — and a calendar of events in the New Year is filling quickly. Some highlights will include, Martin Verrall’s Album Release for ‘℅ The Brain’ (Jan 18) — the album release from Irish Punks The Mahones ‘Singing The Songs of Shane MacGowan & The Pogues” (Jan 23), — ‘Smile’ A Tribute To Grunge (Jan 24) — Factory/Dead Souls New Order-Joy Division Tribute (Jan 31) — Riddim Riders’ Annual Bob Marley Night (Feb 6) — a comedy event headlined by Kevin McDonald of Kids In The Hall (Feb 7) — with the Juno Awards returning to Hamilton, the venue hosts the Juno-side-party ‘Jim Cuddy & Friends’ (March 26) — as well as a pair of parties that throwback to the old Fever Days where former club fixtures, Nicholas Picholas and DJ Dwight (Hybrid) will headline (Feb 28 & Apr 2 respectively).
By breathing new energy into a historic downtown building, RIDICULOUS honors Hamilton’s nightlife legacy while boldly pushing it forward. It is a venue built on creativity, risk, humour, music, and community—where every show is meant to be memorable, unexpected, and undeniably fun.
Welcome to RIDICULOUS (presented by Matilda Sword Distillers, and entertainment powered by Friends of Casbah).”–Ridiculous.
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