The Nelson Arms is a friendly Beach Road pub in Bangor that actively backs the local live-music scene. It runs open-mic nights on the second and fourth Friday of each month, live bands on the first and third Thursday, and regular DJ nights — a dependable grassroots room for North Wales players, with cheap pool, darts and board games rounding out the welcome.
Bangor · Every other Friday · No fee listed
The Nelson Arms Open Mic
Bangor's friday open mic.
Kick-off time to be confirmed. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 7 Oct 202620:00
Kick-off
Fridays
time tbc · we're working to find outFridays
| Night | Every other Friday |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | Ask the host |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
139
page views on GigXchange. Is it your night?
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 |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every other FridayHow the night runs
Every other Friday
Check the date before you goRunning order
20:00 Kick-off (tbc)
00:00 Venue closes
Times marked tbc aren't confirmed yet - we're working to find out.
04 — Find The Nelson Arms
BangorGetting there
Bangor
05 — What's on stage
TBC| PA system | TBC |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
BangorAbout the night
The Nelson Arms is a music-friendly pub in Bangor that supports the local grassroots scene, hosting open mic nights on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. On the first and third Thursdays it puts on live bands, making it one of the town's regular spots for live music across the week. The open mic is a relaxed, free walk-up session welcoming local musicians of all levels.
The Nelson Arms is a friendly Beach Road pub in Bangor that actively backs the local live-music scene. It runs open-mic nights on the second and fourth Friday of each month, live bands on the first and third Thursday, and regular DJ nights — a dependable grassroots room for North Wales players, with cheap pool, darts and board games rounding out the welcome.
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| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Bangor · Every other Friday
The Nelson Arms Open Mic
Bangor's friday open mic.
- Friday
- Open mic night
- Jun 2026
- Listed since
- 7 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Bangor open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Nelson Arms Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Nelson Arms Open Mic runs on Fridays (fortnightly) at The Nelson Arms in Bangor. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 7 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Nelson Arms’s venue page →
It's walk-in sign-up - arrive early to get a slot.
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklineNot confirmed yet
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
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.
NightFridayEvery other Friday
StartsTBCstart timeNot confirmed yet
Sign-upWalk-insign-up
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Bangor this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Nelson Arms is a music-friendly pub in Bangor that supports the local grassroots scene, hosting open mic nights on the second and fourth Fridays of each month. On the first and third Thursdays it puts on live bands, making it one of the town's regular spots for live music across the week. The open mic is a relaxed, free walk-up session welcoming local musicians of all levels.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemTBC
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How The Nelson Arms’s Friday night runs.
Sign-up opensTBCNot confirmed yet
Kick-offTBCNot confirmed yet
Music endsTBCNot confirmed yet
Venue closes00:00The listed closing time
How often
Every other Friday
Getting there
Bangor - the map is below.
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find The Nelson Arms
Bangor
AreaBangor
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The Nelson Arms is in Bangor. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Open mics nearby
Oh Yeah Music Centre, Denvir's Coaching Inn, The Second Fiddle and The American Bar
Planning Your Friday Night
Arrive early to get your name down. The kit is not listed yet — ask the host what is provided.
The scene Live music in Bangorthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Bangorpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Bangoracts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Bangorevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
What should you charge for paid gigs? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. A night in the Bangor live music scene.
Common Questions
8 questions people ask before going to Bangor's The Nelson Arms open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Bangor open mic nights for alternatives.
The Nelson Arms has not listed its kit yet — ask the host before you go.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for The Nelson Arms's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Bangor open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
The Nelson Arms is in Bangor. Get directions, or see the other Belfast open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Bangor regulars across the Bangor open mic scene. Bangor open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Bangor open mics.
Venues Near The Nelson Arms
No other gigs are listed at The Nelson Arms in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Bangor over the next four weeks →
The Nelson Arms open mic in brief. The Nelson Arms open mic runs every other Friday (no fee listed). The Nelson Arms’ venue page lists its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For another night this week, the open mics near Bangor are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Bangor? 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 Bangor open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Bangor gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Nelson Arms
All ›More rooms near The Nelson Arms: Ballymena Braid Arts Centre, Barn United Social Club, Bert's Jazz Bar, Boucher Playing Fields, Brennans' Bar, Bullitt Hotel, Crescent Arts Centre, Custom House Square Belfast, Denvir's Coaching Inn, Empire Music Hall and Errigle Inn.
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