Maxim Rock is a rock and metal concert venue in Havana, Cuba. Located on Bruzón Street, near Ayestarán, it is the main venue of the Agencia Cubana de Rock, the state-backed institution created to support and represent professional Cuban rock bands.

The venue opened as Maxim Rock in 2008, after the former Cine Maxim was converted into a concert hall. The old cinema had around 1,500 seats over two levels and had closed during the economic crisis of the 1990s, when many neighbourhood cinemas in Havana disappeared or were left unused.

The creation of Maxim Rock gave the Cuban rock and metal scene a permanent indoor venue after years with few reliable spaces. This was especially important after the closure of El Patio de María in 2003, a legendary Havana meeting place and concert space for Cuban rockers and metalheads.

The former cinema was renovated with a new stage, sound system, lighting and facilities for concerts. The new headquarters of the Agencia Cubana de Rock opened with a concert by the Cuban progressive rock band Ánima Mundi, signalling a broader role for the venue than metal alone.

Metal has nevertheless been a major part of Maxim Rock’s identity from the beginning. Cuban bands such as Zeus, Combat Noise, Hipnosis, Escape, Agonizer, Chlover and Ancestor have been associated with the venue, while death metal, black metal, thrash and other extreme styles have appeared alongside progressive rock, hard rock, punk and alternative music.

Maxim Rock has also been one of the principal Havana venues for Brutal Fest, an international extreme metal event developed through cooperation between the Cuban Rock Agency and the French label Brutal Beatdown Records. Through these events, the venue has hosted bands from Europe, Latin America and the wider underground.

International concerts in Cuba have been less frequent than in many other Latin American capitals, which makes the foreign shows at Maxim Rock stand out more strongly. One notable example came in February 2015, when The Dead Daisies played a sold-out show at the venue, with a line-up featuring musicians associated with Guns N’ Roses, The Rolling Stones, Mötley Crüe, Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy.

Maxim Rock closed in 2015 after structural problems were discovered, including concerns over the false ceiling above the stage. The closure lasted around three years, and the venue reopened in November 2018 after repair work.

The concert hall has a capacity of around 600 people and remains one of the key stages for heavy music in Havana. For Cuban metal bands, Maxim Rock is more than a normal venue: it is tied to the organisation that books, supports and represents much of the country’s professional rock and metal scene.

ADDRESS:
Calle Bruzón No 62 e/Almendares y Ayestarán Vedado, Havana, Cuba

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