Open Mic Nights in London

Open mic night got a reputation for being rough around edges. London's version can be that. It can also be the closest thing to a proper gig you'll find on a Tuesday, run by people who take the room seriously and book a decent PA.

The scene splits by type. Some nights are songwriter rounds, quiet and attentive, built for someone working through new material on an acoustic guitar. Others are full band slots with a house rhythm section, closer to a jam. Comedy sometimes shares a bill with music on mixed variety nights, so check what you're walking into before you commit an evening.

Camden and Islington have long carried the singer-songwriter end of things, pub back rooms with a sign-up sheet by the door. East London, around Dalston and Hackney, tends toward looser, more experimental sets. South of the river you'll find smaller, community-feel nights attached to cafes and local pubs, less about performing and more about showing up.

If you're going to watch rather than play, arrive early. The first hour is usually the strongest, before the room thins out. If you're going to play, most nights want you there well before doors to add your name, and running order is normally first come first served. Bring your own instrument unless the listing says otherwise, most rooms don't have spares.

Cost is rarely the issue, these nights are usually about the room and the crowd, not the ticket. What matters more is picking a night that matches what you want; a quiet listening room and a rowdy jam are different evenings even if both call themselves open mic.