The Hope & Ruin Open Mic

Name: Open Mic at The Hope & Ruin
Location: The Hope & Ruin

The Hope & Ruin Open Mic — Quick Facts

Brighton's Monday-night free open mic at 11-12 Queen's Road, BN1 3WA — DIY-scene venue, full backline, in-house engineer, 10-minute slots.

✓ Verified active Last verified 28 Apr 2026 Source: hope.pub + venue confirmation

The Details

Everything you need before you turn up

DayMonday

Start8pm

Sign-up7:30pm walk-in

Slot length10 min

EntryFree · 18+

Capacity~150 standing

Performer typesMusic · Poetry

Sound engineerIn-house, included

Where

The Hope & Ruin 11-12 Queen's Road
Brighton
Brighton BN1 3WA

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

4 vocal mics

In-house engineer

The Hope & Ruin is Brighton's DIY-scene HQ — punk gigs upstairs, vegan kitchen downstairs, vegetarian late licence. The Monday open mic uses the upstairs stage and pulls a younger, scrappier crowd than the seafront mics.

210 minutes, around 20 acts at 10 minutes — high-tempo, lots of acts, short turnover. Sound engineer is on full duty.

Sign-up process

Sheet at the upstairs bar at 7:30pm. First-come first-served.

Getting there

11-12 Queen's Road, BN1 3WA. 3 minutes from Brighton Rail. All central buses pass on West Street.

The venue

Pub downstairs (vegan kitchen), gig room upstairs. 18+ strictly. Capacity ~150 standing. Late licence to 1am.

Common Questions

Seven things people ask before turning up at Brighton's The Hope & Ruin open mic.

How do I sign up to play at The Hope & Ruin 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 Brighton open mics the same week.

What backline does The Hope & Ruin 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 Hope & Ruin open mic?

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

Is The Hope & Ruin open mic free?

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

Can I bring a band to The Hope & Ruin 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 Brighton.

Where is The Hope & Ruin?

11-12 Queen's Road, Brighton, Brighton BN1 3WA.

What's the audience like on a Monday night?

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