Every Tuesday in City Centre, Chester
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Chester open mic directory
City Centre · Every Tuesday · Free
Alexander's Open Mic
Chester's Thursday-night free open mic at Rufus Court, CH1 2JW — cafe-bar with stage, PA + guitar amp + piano, 12-minute slots.
Open mic at a glance Alexander's · Chester
Tuesday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Last updated: 19 Jun 2026
Alexander's Open Mic — Quick Facts
Chester's Thursday-night free open mic at Rufus Court, CH1 2JW — cafe-bar with stage, PA + guitar amp + piano, 12-minute slots.
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayTuesday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity~120 standing
Performer typesMusic · Jazz · Poetry
Sound engineerIn-house, included
Where
Alexander'sRufus Court
City Centre
Chester CH1 2JW
City Centre, Chester — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Contact
Walk-in sign-up only
No advance booking
Host: in-house team
Highlights
Free entry for all
In-house sound engineer
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music, Jazz, Poetry welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
What's on Stage
Equipment and backline available at this venue. We verify and update this section regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer
About This Open Mic
The Night
Alexander's is an independent live-music, arts and comedy venue tucked into Rufus Court in Chester city centre, and it hosts what it bills as Chester's longest-running open mic. It runs every Tuesday — sign up from 7:30pm with music kicking off at 8pm — with free entry and a free drink for every performer. A warm, well-run room with a proper PA and sound, it's a reliable midweek slot for songwriters and acoustic acts.
About Alexander's
Alexander's (Alexander's Live) is an independently run live-music, arts and comedy venue in Rufus Court, Chester city centre (CH1 2JW), open since 1991. Its weekly Tuesday open mic — sign-up 7:30pm, music from 8pm, a free drink for every performer — is billed as Chester's longest-running open-mic night. Beyond that it programmes gigs, tribute acts, comedy (Bill Bailey, Jack Dee), independent theatre and summer festival days in Rufus Court and the beer garden; Ed Sheeran and Duffy played here early in their careers. A cafe-bar with a proper stage and PA.
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 23:00. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Chester live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorFind Alexander's
Rufus Court, City Centre, Chester CH1 2JW
Common Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Chester's Alexander's open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Chester open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Chester mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
Rufus Court, City Centre, Chester CH1 2JW.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Chester regulars across the Chester open mic scene. Chester open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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