Every Sunday in North End, Portsmouth
Kicks off at 18:45, sign-up from 19:00
Free entry for performers and audience
15-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Portsmouth open mic directory
North End · Every Sunday · Free
The Admiral Drake Open Mic
Southsea's sunday-night free open mic at **The Admiral Drake** — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.
Open mic at a glance The Admiral Drake · Portsmouth
Sunday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
15 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Last updated: 15 Jun 2026
The Admiral Drake Open Mic — Quick Facts
Southsea's sunday-night free open mic at **The Admiral Drake** — PA + vocal mic, walk-in sign-up from 7pm, 15-minute slots, all ages.
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DaySunday
Start18:45
Sign-up19:00 walk-in
Slot length15 min
EntryFree · all ages
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic · Poetry
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
Where
The Admiral Drake8 Kingston Crescent
North End
Portsmouth PO2 8DH
North End, Portsmouth — 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
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music, 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
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
About This Open Mic
The Night
Alleycats Open Mic Night at The Admiral Drake (8 Kingston Crescent, North End) is a Portsmouth institution — over 20 years old and still thriving — on the second and last Sunday of each month, kicking off at 6:45pm. No pre-booking: just arrive early enough to get on the list. Each act gets three songs (occasionally more, never less), with a fully featured PA and leads provided and a house acoustic guitar if you need it. Musicians, singers, poets and spoken-word performers are all welcome. Free entry.
About The Admiral Drake
The Admiral Drake is a friendly real-ale local at 8 Kingston Crescent in North End, Portsmouth — family, biker and dog friendly, with darts, pool and a strong live-music reputation. It hosts the long-running Alleycats Open Mic on the 2nd and last Sunday of each month, kicking off at 6:45pm. Alleycats has been going since 1997 and is built for first-timers and veterans alike: there's a fully featured PA with leads, and a house acoustic guitar if you need it, so you can turn up with just yourself. There's no pre-booking — get there early to get on the list — and each act gets three songs. Musicians, singers, poets and spoken-word performers are all welcome. It's a warm, supportive room that's a fixture of the Portsmouth grass-roots scene. Check The Admiral Drake's Facebook page to confirm the next Alleycats date before heading down.
Planning Your Sunday Night
Arrive by 19:00 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Portsmouth 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 The Admiral Drake
8 Kingston Crescent, North End, Portsmouth PO2 8DH
Common Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Portsmouth's The Admiral Drake open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:00. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Portsmouth open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
15 minutes per act — typically 4 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Portsmouth mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
8 Kingston Crescent, North End, Portsmouth PO2 8DH.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Portsmouth regulars across the Portsmouth open mic scene. Portsmouth open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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