The Old Queen's Head Open Mic

Name: Open Mic at The Old Queen's Head
Location: The Old Queen's Head

The Old Queen's Head Open Mic — Quick Facts

Islington's Thursday-night free open mic at 44 Essex Road, N1 8LN — upstairs music room, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.

✓ Verified active Last verified 28 Apr 2026 Source: theoldqueenshead.com + venue confirmation

The Details

Everything you need before you turn up

DayThursday

Start8pm

Sign-up7:30pm walk-in

Slot length12 min

EntryFree · 18+

Capacity~120 standing

Performer typesMusic · Poetry

Sound engineerIn-house, included

Where

The Old Queen's Head 44 Essex Road
Islington
London N1 8LN

Contact

Walk-in sign-up only
No advance booking
Host: in-house team

Highlights

Free entry

Full backlineIn-house engineer

MusicPoetry18+Walk-in

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

PA + monitors

Drum kit

Guitar amp

Bass amp

Keys / keyboard

3 vocal mics

In-house engineer

The Old Queen's Head runs an upstairs music room that's been a North London songwriter staple for over a decade. Thursday open mic is the regular weekly slot, programmed to feed the venue's paid Friday/Saturday bills.

Format runs 180 minutes with 15 acts at 12 minutes each. Crowd is a balanced mix of N1 locals, performers, and friends — typically 60-90 people, listening, polite.

Sign-up process

Sheet at the upstairs bar at 7:30pm. The host (rotating) calls names from the list every 5 minutes. No advance booking.

Getting there

44 Essex Road, N1 8LN. 4 minutes from Angel (Northern Line). Buses 38, 56, 73, 341 stop on Essex Road.

The venue

Standard pub downstairs, music room upstairs. 18+. Capacity in the music room is ~120 standing. Pub food until 9pm, full bar throughout. Decent green-room area for performers behind the stage.

Common Questions

Seven things people ask before turning up at London's The Old Queen's Head open mic.

How do I sign up to play at The Old Queen's Head open mic?

Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 7:30pm. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. Backup options if you don't get on: other London open mics the same week.

What backline does The Old Queen's Head provide?

Full backline: drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, vocal mics, plus an in-house sound engineer. Bring your own instrument and pedals. Want a similar setup elsewhere? Filter the open mic directory by “Full backline”.

How long is a slot at The Old Queen's Head open mic?

12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo or 4 for a band.

Is The Old Queen's Head open mic free?

Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most London mics are free; browse the list.

Can I bring a band to The Old Queen's Head open mic?

Yes — full bands welcome and the backline is set up for it. Once you've played a few of these, see our guide on how to get paid gigs in London.

Where is The Old Queen's Head?

44 Essex Road, Islington, London N1 8LN.

What's the audience like on a Thursday night?

Mostly fellow musicians, friends and London regulars who turn up across the London live music scene. London open mic crowds tend to listen attentively — this isn't a chatter-over-the-music kind of night.