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Stokes Croft · Every Sunday · Free

The Canteen Open Mic

Stokes Croft's Sunday-night free open mic at 80 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY — community-run venue, full backline including piano, 10-minute slots.

Open mic at a glance The Canteen · Bristol
Sunday
Open mic night
Weeklyrecurring
Apr 2026
Listed since
TrackedGX directory
03 Jun
Last verified
liveverified
Free
Entry
No chargeon the door
10 min
Slot length
per acton stage
Community
Listing status
communityGX Index

Last updated: 15 Jun 2026

The Canteen Open Mic — Quick Facts

Stokes Croft's Sunday-night free open mic at 80 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY — community-run venue, full backline including piano, 10-minute slots.

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The Details

Everything you need before you turn up

DaySunday
Start21:00
Sign-up20:30 walk-in
Slot length10 min
EntryFree · all ages
Capacity~200 standing
Performer typesMusic · Poetry
Sound engineerIn-house, included

Where

The Canteen80 Stokes Croft
Stokes Croft
Bristol BS1 3QY

Stokes Croft, Bristol — 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
Full backline on stage
In-house sound engineer
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
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

About This Open Mic

Every Sunday in Stokes Croft, Bristol
Kicks off at 21:00, sign-up from 20:30
Free entry for performers and audience
10-minute slots
Full backline on stage

The Night

The Canteen is a community-run venue at the heart of Stokes Croft. Music every night of the week, free entry, and a Sunday open mic that pulls in Bristol's songwriting scene.

180 minutes, 18 acts at 10 minutes. Vegetarian and vegan kitchen. The piano on the stage is a real upright.

Sign-up process

Sheet at the bar at 8:30pm. Walk-in.

Getting there

80 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY. 12 minutes' walk from Bristol Temple Meads. Buses 8, 9, 70, 71 stop directly outside.

The venue

Single big bar/restaurant room with a stage. All ages until 9pm, then 18+. Capacity ~200.

About The Canteen

The Canteen at 80 Stokes Croft is a cornerstone of Bristol's grassroots scene (BS1 3QY), sustainably serving vegetarian food, Bristol booze and free live music. Opened in August 2009 to serve Hamilton House and the Stokes Croft community, it puts on free live music almost every night — bands play six nights a week and entry is free daily, with a small charge after 9:30pm on Friday and Saturday. The programme is genuinely eclectic, from open-mic hip-hop nights to Afrobeat, Latin jazz and folk. Around 90,000 people come to its gigs each year and over 300 artists and groups appear on its stage annually. A full-backline, sound-engineered room — one of Bristol's busiest small venues.

Planning Your Sunday Night

Arrive by 20:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 00:00. Full backline is provided — just bring your instrument and pedals.

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.
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Find The Canteen

80 Stokes Croft, Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3QY

Common Questions

Seven things people ask before turning up at Bristol's The Canteen open mic.

Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 20:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Bristol open mic nights for alternatives.
Full backline: drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, vocal mics, plus an in-house sound engineer. Bring your own instrument and pedals.
10 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Bristol mics are free; browse the list.
Yes — full bands welcome and the backline is set up for it.
80 Stokes Croft, Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3QY.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Bristol regulars across the Bristol open mic scene. Bristol open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.

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