The Cumberland Arms is a much-loved traditional pub in the heart of Newcastle's Ouseburn Valley, overlooking the Ouseburn from James Place Street (NE6 1LD). It is one of the homes of folk sessions in Newcastle, with a wide range of traditional music and singing in the back bar most nights, and a programme of ticketed gigs, comedy and theatre upstairs. The 2026 calendar already lists touring acts such as Lily Seabird (1 September) and Dani Larkin (6 November), typically starting at 7:30pm. A genuine grassroots music venue, it pairs cask ales and real cider with a packed events diary across folk, acoustic and indie.
Newcastle · Monthly on Tuesdays · No fee listed
The Cumberland Arms Open Mic
Newcastle open mic at The Cumberland Arms — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Kick-off 20:00, sign-up from 19:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsAt a glance
Checked 3 Sep 202620:00
Kick-off
Tuesdays
sign-up from 19:30Tuesdays
| Night | Monthly on Tuesdays |
| Sign-up | 19:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
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0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Website | thecumberlandarms.co.uk |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 3 Sep 2026 |
| Checked against | Venue website |
03 — The night
Monthly on TuesdaysHow the night runs
Once a month · Tuesdays
Check the date before you goRunning order
19:30 Sign-up· Walk-in
20:00 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
23:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Cumberland Arms
NewcastleGetting there
James Pl St,
Newcastle NE6 1LD
Newcastle NE6 1LD
The nearest station is Byker (Metro station), about 10 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
1 provided · 6 TBC| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
NewcastleAbout the night
The Cumberland Arms is a much-loved independent pub above the Ouseburn Valley, a home for folk, traditional music, dance, comedy and poetry rather than a conventional sign-up open mic. What the pub's own events page lists is a week of participatory sessions. The Tuesday slot is the Global Music Session on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays from 8pm onwards, open to players of any tradition who want to join in. If you want to sing or play your own material, the Jam Session on the 1st and 3rd Sunday from 8pm is the closest thing to a classic open mic here.
The full weekly pattern
- 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays, 8pm: Global Music Session - 2nd Tuesday, 8pm: Come All Ye singing session - 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 1pm to 3pm: Ukes4Fun ukulele session - Every Wednesday, 8pm: Mostly Irish Session - 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 8pm: Old Time Music Session - Every Friday, 8pm: An Crúiscín Làn Irish session - 1st Sunday, 2pm to 5pm: Ballad Club - 1st and 3rd Sunday, 8pm: Jam Session
There is also an occasional Let 'Em Speak FLINTA comedy open mic (next listed Tuesday 27 October 2026, 7:30pm, free).
Sign-up process
Sessions are join-in rather than sign-up: bring your instrument and ask whoever is leading. No fee is published.
Getting there
James Place Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1LD, up the bank on the Byker side of the valley, a short walk from The Cluny and the other Ouseburn venues.
The Cumberland Arms is a much-loved traditional pub in the heart of Newcastle's Ouseburn Valley, overlooking the Ouseburn from James Place Street (NE6 1LD). It is one of the homes of folk sessions in Newcastle, with a wide range of traditional music and singing in the back bar most nights, and a programme of ticketed gigs, comedy and theatre upstairs. The 2026 calendar already lists touring acts such as Lily Seabird (1 September) and Dani Larkin (6 November), typically starting at 7:30pm. A genuine grassroots music venue, it pairs cask ales and real cider with a packed events diary across folk, acoustic and indie.
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Newcastle · Monthly on Tuesdays
The Cumberland Arms Open Mic
Newcastle open mic at The Cumberland Arms — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance The Cumberland Arms · Newcastle
Tuesday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Sept
Last verified
No fee
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Newcastle open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 3 September 2026
The Cumberland Arms Open Mic — Quick Facts
Newcastle open mic at The Cumberland Arms — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
NightTuesdayMonthly on Tuesdays
Starts20:00start time
Sign-up19:30Walk-in
Slots12minutes each
Music starts around 20:00. Sign-up is on the night from 19:30 - get there early to get a slot. Each act gets about 12 minutes. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitethecumberlandarms.co.uk
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. We review corrections within 7 days.
What’s on in Newcastle this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Cumberland Arms is a much-loved independent pub above the Ouseburn Valley, a home for folk, traditional music, dance, comedy and poetry rather than a conventional sign-up open mic. What the pub's own events page lists is a week of participatory sessions. The Tuesday slot is the Global Music Session on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays from 8pm onwards, open to players of any tradition who want to join in. If you want to sing or play your own material, the Jam Session on the 1st and 3rd Sunday from 8pm is the closest thing to a classic open mic here.
The full weekly pattern
- 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesdays, 8pm: Global Music Session - 2nd Tuesday, 8pm: Come All Ye singing session - 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 1pm to 3pm: Ukes4Fun ukulele session - Every Wednesday, 8pm: Mostly Irish Session - 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 8pm: Old Time Music Session - Every Friday, 8pm: An Crúiscín Làn Irish session - 1st Sunday, 2pm to 5pm: Ballad Club - 1st and 3rd Sunday, 8pm: Jam Session
There is also an occasional Let 'Em Speak FLINTA comedy open mic (next listed Tuesday 27 October 2026, 7:30pm, free).
Sign-up process
Sessions are join-in rather than sign-up: bring your instrument and ask whoever is leading. No fee is published.
Getting there
James Place Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 1LD, up the bank on the Byker side of the valley, a short walk from The Cluny and the other Ouseburn venues.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA system
Drum kit · TBC
Guitar amp · TBC
Bass amp · TBC
Keys / keyboard · TBC
Vocal mics · TBC
In-house engineer · TBC
The Night at a Glance
How The Cumberland Arms’s Tuesday night runs.
Sign-up opens19:30Walk-in on the night
Kick-off20:00Monthly on Tuesdays
Venue closes23:00The listed closing time
Slots12minutes each
How often
Monthly on Tuesdays
Getting there
Newcastle, NE6 1LD - the map is below.
Kit
The Cumberland Arms provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Arrive for 19:30 to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on, and plan a set that fits 12 minutes.
Find The Cumberland Arms
James Pl St, Newcastle NE6 1LD
AddressJames Pl St
AreaNewcastle
PostcodeNE6 1LD
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Byker (Metro station), about 10 minutes' walk away. You'll find The Cumberland Arms in Newcastle; NE6 1LD is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Be there by 19:30 to put your name down. The Cumberland Arms provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
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07 — Small print9 answersCommon questionsCommon Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Newcastle's The Cumberland Arms open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Newcastle open mic nights for alternatives.
The Cumberland Arms provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Cumberland Arms's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Newcastle open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
James Pl St, Newcastle NE6 1LD.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Newcastle regulars across the Newcastle open mic scene. Newcastle open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Byker (Metro station), about 10 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is NE6 1LD. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 19:30, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Newcastle open mics.
From the GigXchange directory
Venues Near The Cumberland Arms
No other gigs are listed at The Cumberland Arms yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
08 — Keep up with Newcastle
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The Cumberland Arms open mic in brief. The Cumberland Arms open mic runs monthly on Tuesdays from 20:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 19:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. The Cumberland Arms’ venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For another night this week, the open mics near Newcastle are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Newcastle? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
09 — More Newcastle open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Newcastle gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Cumberland Arms
All ›More rooms near The Cumberland Arms: Jazz.Co-op, Katie O'Brien's Irish Tavern, Louie's Liquor Store, Passing Clouds, Ruby Rae's, Star and Shadow, Stein Bier Keller, The Black Swan, Tyneside Irish Centre, Anarchy Brew Co and Associates Private Club.
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