The American Bar has stood on the corner of Dock Street in historic Sailortown, Belfast (BT15 1HW) since 1860 — a former dockers' and sailors' bar that is now one of the city's best-loved grassroots music venues, with a standing capacity of around 50. It bills itself as a bar for artists and musicians, weirdos and outcasts, workers, poets and dog walkers, and since 2021 has been home to The Grateful Bread bakery. The music runs deep across the week: a free Wednesday-night folk open mic with 12-minute slots, Thursday folk nights, Friday open-mic sessions and Saturday-afternoon blues. A PA and vocal mics are provided; performers bring their own instruments and amps. A characterful, fiercely independent home for folk, blues and trad in Belfast.
Belfast · Every Sunday · No fee listed
Belfast's Wednesday-night free folk open mic at 67-69 Dock Street, BT15 1HW — historic dockside pub, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.
Next night: Sun 15 Nov. Kick-off 19:00, sign-up from 20:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
Sundays
| Night | Every Sunday |
| Sign-up | 20:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
| Capacity | c. 70 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Website | theamericanbarbelfast.com |
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 29 Aug 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
Sailortown, Belfast BT15 1HW
| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Bring your own |
| Guitar amp | Provided |
| Bass amp | Bring your own |
| Keys / keyboard | Bring your own |
| 2 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | None |
The American Bar is a historic dockside pub in Sailortown, Belfast, and a genuine grassroots music hub on the Maritime Mile. Its weekly open mic runs every Sunday from 7pm in the cosy upstairs room, hosted by guitar maestro David Browne Murray — covers and originals both welcome. The bar also runs a monthly poetry open mic ('Invited To The Mic', first Thursday at 7pm) plus regular folk and trad sessions, so there's a stage going most weeks.
Sign-up process
Turn up and put your name down on the night.
Getting there
67-69 Dock Street, Belfast BT15 1HW.
The American Bar has stood on the corner of Dock Street in historic Sailortown, Belfast (BT15 1HW) since 1860 — a former dockers' and sailors' bar that is now one of the city's best-loved grassroots music venues, with a standing capacity of around 50. It bills itself as a bar for artists and musicians, weirdos and outcasts, workers, poets and dog walkers, and since 2021 has been home to The Grateful Bread bakery. The music runs deep across the week: a free Wednesday-night folk open mic with 12-minute slots, Thursday folk nights, Friday open-mic sessions and Saturday-afternoon blues. A PA and vocal mics are provided; performers bring their own instruments and amps. A characterful, fiercely independent home for folk, blues and trad in Belfast.
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The American Bar Open Mic
Belfast's Wednesday-night free folk open mic at 67-69 Dock Street, BT15 1HW — historic dockside pub, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.
- Sunday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 29 Aug
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The American Bar Open Mic — Quick Facts
The American Bar Open Mic runs on Sundays at The American Bar in Belfast, starting at 19:00 with sign-up from 20:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
The night starts at 19:00 and runs to about 00:00. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 20:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Each act gets about 12 minutes, so the night holds around 25 acts. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
What’s on in Belfast this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The American Bar is a historic dockside pub in Sailortown, Belfast, and a genuine grassroots music hub on the Maritime Mile. Its weekly open mic runs every Sunday from 7pm in the cosy upstairs room, hosted by guitar maestro David Browne Murray — covers and originals both welcome. The bar also runs a monthly poetry open mic ('Invited To The Mic', first Thursday at 7pm) plus regular folk and trad sessions, so there's a stage going most weeks.
Sign-up process
Turn up and put your name down on the night.
Getting there
67-69 Dock Street, Belfast BT15 1HW.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
The Night at a Glance
How The American Bar’s Sunday night runs.
Every Sunday
Sun 15 Nov · Sun 22 Nov · Sun 29 Nov
The American Bar provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and a guitar amp; bring your own drum kit, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
Get there by 20:30 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn and keep to about 12 minutes.
Find The American Bar
67-69 Dock Street, Sailortown, Belfast BT15 1HW
You'll find The American Bar in Sailortown, Belfast; BT15 1HW is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Oh Yeah Music Centre, Denvir's Coaching Inn, The Second Fiddle and Sunflower Public House
Planning Your Sunday Night
Arrive by 20:30 to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 00:00. The American Bar provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and a guitar amp; bring your own drum kit, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
How much should paid gigs pay you? 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 Belfast live music scene.
Common Questions
8 things people ask before turning up at Belfast's The American Bar open mic.
Venues Near The American Bar
No other gigs are listed at The American Bar in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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The American Bar open mic in brief. The American Bar open mic runs every Sunday from 19:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 20:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. The American Bar’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For a different night this week, the open mics near Belfast are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Belfast? 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.
Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Belfast gigs or check the going rate.
More rooms near The American Bar: 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, Errigle Inn and Falls Park.
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