Events and Programming
172 St Asaph Street is now home to Jolene Christchurch, a Nashville-inspired bar focused on live country music, line dancing, cold beer, bourbon and late-night socialising. The Christchurch venue opened on 28 August 2026 as the second Jolene location in New Zealand. Its regular format is built around live country performances, honky-tonk tracks and a dance floor rather than conventional theatre-style concerts.
For visitors searching older listings, the address was previously occupied by Hide Club, a dedicated electronic music venue that opened in 2019. Hide specialised in drum and bass, jungle, garage, house, techno, bass music and experimental electronic shows. Its programme combined touring international DJs, national acts, Christchurch artists, student nights, open-decks sessions, morning raves, live electronic performances and private functions. Hide announced its closure in June 2026 after seven years, with a series of farewell events running through the end of its tenancy.
The address’s publicly traceable 2021–2026 programme shows how strongly it served Christchurch’s electronic scene. Listings include Kanine, Holy Goof, Partiboi69, Fairbrother, What So Not, Skin On Skin, Dillon Francis and Hedex during the 2021–2022 period. In 2023, the programme included Elkka, Nikki Nair, Surusinghe, Hamdi, Pangaea, Steve Hill, Rinsed, Hardlove, Masif, Pitch Black, Antix and Tom Cosm.
Hide’s 2024 programme demonstrated a broad electronic remit: Subtle System, Girls Don’t Sync, Zed Bias, Badger, MachineMind, Andromedik, Phace and Particle all appeared in published listings, alongside free open-decks nights for emerging DJs. These events ranged from UK garage and drum and bass to electro, bass and live experimental performance. Publicly listed prices included free entry, approximately NZ$15–$45 general admission and higher prices for touring or special events.
In 2025, Hide hosted artists and promoters including FMS, Titan, L-Side, Conducta, Keep Hush Live and Echo Train Records. The venue also continued to make room for local line-ups and themed nights such as producer showcases, local-legend drum-and-bass events and free or low-cost Friday sessions. That mix indicates a venue comfortable with both established touring acts and grass-roots Christchurch talent.
The final Hide season included Sola Rosa’s Christchurch show on 30 May 2026, a drum-and-bass appearance by Doc Scott, farewell performances by long-standing local acts, Morning People’s early-morning event and extended closing parties. Reviews of the Sola Rosa show described a full, energetic room and praised the way the venue’s sound system handled live electronic instrumentation.
For the rest of 2026 and beyond, Jolene’s published programme description points to recurring live country music, line dancing and late-night bar entertainment. No named 2027 or later performances were identified in the published information reviewed for this guide, so future programming should be treated as event-by-event rather than assumed from the former Hide calendar.
Tickets and Booking
Jolene Christchurch is presented primarily as a bar and social venue with table bookings, rather than as a fixed-seat concert hall. The published venue information promotes booking a table and describes live music and dancing, but does not provide a permanent general-admission price list or a standard ticketing structure. Some nights may operate as normal bar entry, while special performances, lessons or busy weekend events may use separate admission arrangements.
For current shows, check the individual event information before travelling and allow for differences between table reservations, door entry and any event-specific charge. The venue’s published opening pattern extends from afternoon or evening trading during the week to late-night Friday and Saturday sessions, although hours may change for private functions, holidays or special events.
Historical Hide listings provide a useful guide to the address’s former price range, but should not be treated as current Jolene pricing. Hide events included free open decks, NZ$5 local showcases, approximately NZ$10–$20 club nights, NZ$30–$45 touring events and occasional higher-priced special bookings. Popular international electronic shows often sold quickly, so buying early was the safest approach when a particular artist mattered.
About 172 St Asaph St
172 St Asaph Street is a central Christchurch hospitality and entertainment address rather than a conventional auditorium. Its present identity is Jolene Christchurch, a honky-tonk bar with live country music and line dancing. Before that, the site became strongly associated with Hide Club, described by its operators as Christchurch’s only purpose-built nightclub and an all-inclusive home for live electronic music.
The building has a commercial warehouse and showroom history. A 2006 property description recorded a single-storey showroom/warehouse on the site, while later property information describes a mixed commercial building with brick walls, a steel or galvanised-iron roof and approximately 494 square metres of floor area. Those figures relate to the property rather than the usable public event area, so they should not be confused with venue capacity.
The address became a late-night hospitality site in the mid-2010s. A 2016 licensing decision records plans for a restaurant and bar known as Empire, followed by licensing records for Empire Bar & Izakaya in 2017. That period established the building as part of the central city’s late-night hospitality strip before its transformation into Hide Club.
Seating and Layout
No current public capacity plan or seating diagram has been published for Jolene Christchurch. Its described format is a combination of bar seating, standing room and a dance floor, so visitors should not expect numbered concert seating, a balcony or theatre-style sightlines.
The former Hide configuration is better documented. Its main room was advertised for standing events of up to 200 people, with seating spaces, a bar, private toilets and a full sound system. The lounge could seat up to 30 people or accommodate up to 50 standing guests. The venue also had an upstairs zone used for smaller techno sessions, private events and green-room purposes.
A separate event-space listing described approximately 200 square metres of usable event space, a spacious dance floor, stage, bar, lighting system, Wi-Fi and sound system. A 2021 special licence referred to an event attendance of approximately 350 people, but that was an event-specific licensing figure rather than proof of the normal public capacity.
For the former Hide layout, the best viewing position depended on the music. The centre of the main floor gave the strongest dance-floor experience and the most even connection with the sound system, while the sides and rear were more practical for conversation or quick access to the bar. The upstairs area offered a more intimate view but was separate from the main-floor experience. These observations should not be assumed to describe Jolene’s final layout after its change of operator.
Getting There and Parking
The address is 172 St Asaph Street, Christchurch Central City, Canterbury 8011. It sits within the central city’s compact four-avenue area, where walking, cycling, buses, taxis and rideshare are generally more practical than relying on venue parking.
No dedicated public customer car park is advertised for Jolene. Visitors driving to the former Hide site used metered street parking and nearby public car parks. Christchurch City Council’s current central-city on-street parking rate is listed as NZ$5 per hour, but restrictions, operating hours and payment conditions vary by street and should be checked on the signs when you arrive.
The city’s Lichfield Street and other central car parks provide alternatives when street parking is unavailable. Evening rates and maximum charges can change between financial years, so allow extra time to find a space rather than assuming the closest car park will have capacity. The building property record identifies a car park, but that does not establish that it is available to event visitors.
Public transport is well suited to the address. Metro routes serving the Bus Interchange and Manchester Street Super Stop connect the central city with the airport, university, northern and southern suburbs, New Brighton, Sumner, Rangiora and other parts of greater Christchurch. From the Bus Interchange, continue east through the central city towards St Asaph Street; check the live timetable before leaving because late-night service frequencies vary.
Taxis and rideshare vehicles can use the central-city street network for drop-off and collection. Because the address operates as a late-night venue, arrange a collection point before entering rather than trying to coordinate it in the middle of a loud event.
Inside the Venue
Jolene’s current description emphasises a honky-tonk atmosphere, country music, bourbon, beer, live performances and dancing. Food and beverage details are not fully set out in the published Christchurch listing, so visitors should treat the venue primarily as a bar and entertainment stop rather than assume a full restaurant service.
The former Hide venue had a full bar, private toilets, a main dance floor, an upstairs area and spaces suitable for private functions, shoots and dry hire. It could provide tables and chairs for booked events, accept outside food or arrange in-house catering, and make its DJ equipment available by arrangement. These details describe Hide’s event-hire operation and are not confirmed as Jolene facilities.
Expect a louder, more social atmosphere than a seated music venue. For country nights, the dance floor is likely to be central to the experience, while table bookings suit groups wanting a base for drinks and conversation. Arriving before the busiest period is sensible if you want a table, an easy bar position or room to learn the dance-floor routine.
Nearby Amenities
172 St Asaph Street is surrounded by central-city hospitality, accommodation and transport links, making it practical to combine a visit with dinner or another bar before or afterwards. The wider St Asaph Street area has long supported late-night restaurants, bars and entertainment businesses, and council planning documents identify the surrounding block as a mixed-use neighbourhood with a strong day-and-night economy.
For pre-show dining, book in advance on Friday and Saturday nights rather than relying on a walk-in table immediately before a popular performance. Central-city hotels are generally more convenient than suburban accommodation after a late finish, particularly when buses become less frequent. If you are staying farther away, confirm your return transport before the venue becomes busy.
What Makes This Venue Special
The most distinctive feature of 172 St Asaph Street is its succession of identities. It moved from warehouse and showroom use into restaurant and bar trading, then became Hide Club, a purpose-built electronic venue created specifically to help rebuild Christchurch’s underground nightlife after the 2011 earthquakes. In 2026, it changed direction again with Jolene’s country and honky-tonk format.
Hide’s importance to the local scene came from its combination of touring acts and development opportunities for local artists. The venue ran open decks, university nights, local showcases, morning raves and events for DJs who were still building an audience. Its operators said the club created opportunities for people who faced barriers in the music industry, while its event history shows a consistent relationship with Christchurch promoters and collectives.
The technical character of the former club was unusually clear for a venue of its size. Hide promoted a quad-stacked L-Acoustics sound system, custom in-house lighting and an immersive performance booth, with an upstairs room for smaller or more experimental sessions. The combination helped the venue attract bass-heavy, club-focused performances rather than only conventional bar gigs.
Jolene gives the address a different cultural role. Instead of serving primarily electronic-music audiences, it brings live country music, line dancing and Nashville-inspired nightlife into Christchurch’s central city. No equivalent technical specification or architectural redesign has yet been published, but the change broadens the types of music and social events associated with the site.
Visitor Tips and Information
Accessibility information for current Jolene operations is limited. Hide’s published policy stated that the club was on the ground floor, wheelchair accessible and able to provide a wheelchair bathroom on request. That is useful evidence about the former operation, but it should not be treated as a guarantee about Jolene’s current entrance, toilet arrangement, dance-floor access or upstairs facilities. New Zealand public venues must provide reasonable and adequate access and sanitary facilities under the Building Act and Building Code, but individual arrangements still need confirmation for specific needs.
Hide’s former guest rules required closed-toe footwear and discouraged heels for safety. Drugs, outside alcohol, gum and weapons were prohibited, intoxicated guests could be refused service, and photography or video on the dance floor was discouraged. Hide also stated that harassment and discrimination were not tolerated. These were Hide policies, not confirmed Jolene rules, so follow the instructions attached to the event you are attending.
Most former Hide ticketed events were R18, while private functions could admit under-18 guests with a parent or legal guardian. Jolene’s age conditions may vary by trading area, event and alcohol-licensing designation. Carry accepted photo identification if you are attending a late-night event, and do not assume that a daytime or private booking has the same entry conditions as a public night.
Bring a charged phone, but avoid taking large bags or unnecessary valuables into a busy dance venue. Ear protection is sensible for loud music, particularly for former Hide-style electronic shows or any event positioned close to the speakers. If you need step-free access, a quieter space, seating, assistance at entry or an accessible toilet, arrange it before buying or travelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is currently at 172 St Asaph Street?
The address is now home to Jolene Christchurch, a Nashville-inspired bar featuring live country music, line dancing, bourbon, beer and late-night hospitality. It opened on 28 August 2026 as the second Jolene location in New Zealand. Older listings refer to Hide Club, the electronic nightclub that occupied the site from 2019 until its 2026 closure.
Is Hide Club still open?
No. Hide announced in June 2026 that it had sold the business and was making way for a new chapter at 172 St Asaph Street. The club then ran farewell events and closing parties before the site changed to Jolene Christchurch. Any listings still describing Hide as an upcoming venue should be treated as historical or outdated unless they refer to a past event.
What sort of events does Jolene Christchurch host?
Jolene’s published format centres on live country music, honky-tonk tracks, line dancing and social late-night bar sessions. The venue is designed for people who want to listen, drink and dance in the same room. A permanent calendar of named future shows was not published in the information reviewed, so programming should be checked on an event-by-event basis.
Do I need a ticket for Jolene Christchurch?
Not necessarily. Jolene is presented as a bar with table bookings, so some visits may operate through normal entry and reservations rather than concert tickets. Special performances, lessons, launch events or peak nights may use separate admission arrangements. Check the individual event terms before travelling, particularly if you are planning a group visit or arriving late.
Does Jolene offer line dancing?
Line dancing is part of Jolene’s stated Christchurch concept, alongside live country music and a dance floor. The published description does not establish a fixed weekly lesson timetable, so do not assume that every session includes formal instruction. Some nights may be primarily live music, while others may be structured around dancing or a special event.
What was Hide Club’s capacity?
Hide’s main room was advertised for up to 200 standing guests, while its lounge could seat 30 or hold 50 standing guests. A separate 2021 special-licence application referred to approximately 350 attendees for one event, but that was not the normal published capacity. Jolene has not published a replacement capacity figure for the current operation.
Is 172 St Asaph Street seated or standing?
The current Jolene concept combines bar seating, tables and standing or dancing space. It is not a numbered-seat theatre. Under Hide, the main room was primarily standing, with seating spaces around the room and a separate lounge. If you need a guaranteed seat, book a table where available rather than relying on general entry.
Does the venue have an upstairs area?
Hide had an upstairs area used for intimate techno sessions, private events and green-room purposes. The current Jolene listing does not publish a detailed floor plan or confirm how every former Hide space has been reused. Visitors who need step-free access should ask about the exact area of their event instead of assuming that upstairs and downstairs facilities are interchangeable.
Is the venue wheelchair accessible?
Hide’s published accessibility policy described a ground-floor, wheelchair-accessible club with a wheelchair bathroom available on request. Jolene has not published equivalent detailed accessibility information in the material reviewed. Contact the venue before attending if you require step-free entry, accessible toilet access, seating, reduced sensory conditions or assistance moving through a crowded dance floor.
Where is the closest public transport?
The venue is in Christchurch Central City, within walking distance of the Bus Interchange and Manchester Street Super Stop. Metro routes from those central stops serve the airport, university, northern and southern suburbs, New Brighton, Sumner, Rangiora and other destinations. Check the late-night timetable before your event because services may be less frequent after closing time.
Is there parking at 172 St Asaph Street?
No dedicated visitor parking facility is advertised by the current venue. Use metered street parking or a nearby public car park, and allow time to walk from your vehicle. Christchurch City Council lists central-city on-street parking at NZ$5 per hour, although restrictions and operating periods vary. Do not use loading zones, cycle lanes or taxi areas for event drop-off or parking.
What is the historic connection with Empire Bar & Izakaya?
Before Hide, the address operated as Empire and later Empire Bar & Izakaya. Christchurch licensing records from 2016 and 2017 describe the premises as a tavern and restaurant-bar operation in a former warehouse building. That history explains why older restaurant and nightlife references may still identify 172 St Asaph Street by a name other than Hide or Jolene.
What music did Hide Club present?
Hide’s programme focused on electronic music, especially drum and bass, jungle, garage, house, techno, bass and experimental sounds. It hosted touring international artists, national acts, local DJs, open decks, university nights, morning raves and live electronic performances. Its documented history includes What So Not, Dillon Francis, Hamdi, Pangaea, Andromedik, Conducta, L-Side and Sola Rosa.
What did visitors like about Hide?
Independent visitor reviews commonly praised Hide’s friendly bar staff, approachable security, local crowd and access to international drum-and-bass artists. Reviews also described the room as dark, energetic and immersive, with a strong sound system. Some visitors mentioned concerns about vaping, cleanliness or occasional ticket prices. These comments apply to the former Hide operation and should not be assumed to review Jolene.
Does Jolene have a published capacity or seating plan?
No current capacity, room dimensions or detailed seating plan was found for Jolene Christchurch. The available 200-square-metre and 200-person figures belong to former Hide event-hire listings, not a confirmed Jolene specification. For private functions, group bookings or accessibility planning, ask for the exact room arrangement and maximum number attached to your event.
What should I wear?
Jolene’s public description presents a casual honky-tonk setting built around boots, country music and dancing. It does not publish a formal dress code in the information reviewed. Former Hide required closed-toe shoes and discouraged heels for dance-floor safety. For Jolene, choose comfortable footwear suitable for standing and dancing, and check any event-specific conditions before attending.
Can I bring a camera or record the performance?
Hide asked guests not to take photographs or videos on the dance floor, partly to protect privacy and preserve the atmosphere. Jolene’s current photography policy has not been published in the material reviewed. Avoid filming performers or other guests without permission, do not use flash in a crowded room and follow staff instructions if an event introduces a no-recording rule.
Is food available inside?
Jolene’s published Christchurch description focuses on drinks, country music and dancing rather than setting out a full food menu. Hide offered catering options for private bookings and allowed outside food by arrangement, but that was part of its former event-hire service. If you need a meal before a ticketed night, plan to eat elsewhere in the central city rather than assuming food service.
How early should I arrive?
Arrive earlier than the advertised performance start if you want a table, easy access to the bar or time to settle into a line-dancing session. Add extra time on Friday and Saturday nights for parking, queues and security checks. If you are attending a popular event, arriving close to doors-open is safer than relying on late entry or finding an available table.
Can 172 St Asaph Street be hired for private events?
Hide offered the address for private celebrations, corporate functions, dry hire, video shoots and photo shoots, with a lounge and main room available in different formats. Jolene’s current private-hire arrangements and room capacities have not been published in the information reviewed. Treat the former Hide hire details as historical and request a current event proposal for any booking.
