The Soup Kitchen Open Mic

Name: Open Mic at The Soup Kitchen
Location: The Soup Kitchen

The Soup Kitchen Open Mic — Quick Facts

Northern Quarter's Sunday-night free open mic at 31-33 Spear Street, M1 1DF — basement music venue, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.

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

The Details

Everything you need before you turn up

DaySunday

Start8pm

Sign-up7:30pm walk-in

Slot length12 min

EntryFree · 18+

Capacity~150 standing

Performer typesMusic

Sound engineerIn-house, included

Where

The Soup Kitchen 31-33 Spear Street
Northern Quarter
Manchester M1 1DF

Contact

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

Highlights

Free entry

Full backlineIn-house engineer

Music18+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 Soup Kitchen is a Northern Quarter basement music venue. Sunday open mic — full backline.

180 minutes, 15 acts at 12 minutes.

Sign-up process

Sheet at the bar at 7:30pm. Walk-in.

Getting there

31-33 Spear Street, M1 1DF. 4 minutes from Piccadilly Gardens.

The venue

Basement venue. 18+. Capacity ~150.

Common Questions

Seven things people ask before turning up at Manchester's The Soup Kitchen open mic.

How do I sign up to play at The Soup Kitchen 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 Manchester open mics the same week.

What backline does The Soup Kitchen 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 Soup Kitchen open mic?

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

Is The Soup Kitchen open mic free?

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

Can I bring a band to The Soup Kitchen 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 Manchester.

Where is The Soup Kitchen?

31-33 Spear Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M1 1DF.

What's the audience like on a Sunday night?

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