The Second Fiddle is The Dirty Onion's sister bar in the heart of Belfast's Cathedral Quarter, on Waring Street (Cotton Court, 30-42 Waring St, BT1 2ED), directly across from the Merchant Hotel. It's a charming traditional pub where Irish is welcome and trad music is the heartbeat — local trad and folk sessions run four days a week, Thursday through Sunday. More than a music room, it's a hub for Irish culture: free bodhrán lessons every Thursday from 7.30pm, a weekly Irish Speaking Circle, and monthly Irish cultural events and art exhibitions. Intimate at around 50 capacity, it's a dedicated home for traditional Irish music away from the larger Dirty Onion next door.
Belfast · Every 1st Sunday of the month · No fee listed
The Second Fiddle Open Mic
Belfast open mic at The Second Fiddle — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Next night: Sun 6 Dec. Kick-off 19:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 16 Sept 202619:00
Kick-off
Sundays
sign-up on the nightSundays
| Night | Every 1st Sunday of the month |
| Sign-up | Ask the host |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
198
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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 | thedirtyonion.com |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
Help keep this trueOne tap
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03 — The night
Every 1st Sunday of the monthHow the night runs
19:00
Kick-off
SundaysRunning order
19:00 Kick-off
23:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Second Fiddle
30-42 Waring StGetting there
Cotton Court, 30-42 Waring St,
Belfast BT1 2ED
Belfast BT1 2ED
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
30-42 Waring St, BelfastAbout the night
The Second Fiddle, tucked inside the Cotton Court courtyard off Waring Street (part of The Dirty Onion complex), is one of Belfast's best trad and folk rooms — and on the first Sunday of every month it hands the stage to an open mic, hosted by established musician Rory Nellis from 7pm. It's pitched at musicians performing their own original songs in a warm, supportive room of local music lovers, and there's a free pint waiting after your set. Entry is free; a lovely, genuinely musical setting rather than a noisy pub back room.
The Second Fiddle is The Dirty Onion's sister bar in the heart of Belfast's Cathedral Quarter, on Waring Street (Cotton Court, 30-42 Waring St, BT1 2ED), directly across from the Merchant Hotel. It's a charming traditional pub where Irish is welcome and trad music is the heartbeat — local trad and folk sessions run four days a week, Thursday through Sunday. More than a music room, it's a hub for Irish culture: free bodhrán lessons every Thursday from 7.30pm, a weekly Irish Speaking Circle, and monthly Irish cultural events and art exhibitions. Intimate at around 50 capacity, it's a dedicated home for traditional Irish music away from the larger Dirty Onion next door.
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30-42 Waring St · Every 1st Sunday of the month
The Second Fiddle Open Mic
Belfast open mic at The Second Fiddle — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
- Sunday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 16 Sept
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Belfast open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Second Fiddle Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Second Fiddle Open Mic runs on the 1st Sunday of the month at The Second Fiddle in Belfast, starting at 19:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 16 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
Music starts around 19:00. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Next nightSun 6 Dec · 19:00Starts in 23d 11h 23m
Age18+
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusBeing verified
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitethedirtyonion.com
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.
NightSundayEvery 1st Sunday of the monthNext: Sun 6 Dec
Starts19:00start time
Sign-upTBCsign-upNot confirmed yet
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Belfast this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Second Fiddle, tucked inside the Cotton Court courtyard off Waring Street (part of The Dirty Onion complex), is one of Belfast's best trad and folk rooms — and on the first Sunday of every month it hands the stage to an open mic, hosted by established musician Rory Nellis from 7pm. It's pitched at musicians performing their own original songs in a warm, supportive room of local music lovers, and there's a free pint waiting after your set. Entry is free; a lovely, genuinely musical setting rather than a noisy pub back room.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How The Second Fiddle’s Sunday night runs.
Next nightSun 6 Dec · 19:00Starts in 23d 11h 23m
Kick-off19:00Every 1st Sunday of the month
Venue closes23:00The listed closing time
How often
Every 1st Sunday of the month
Coming up
Sun 6 Dec · Sun 3 Jan · Sun 7 Feb
Kit
The Second Fiddle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find The Second Fiddle
Cotton Court, 30-42 Waring St, Belfast BT1 2ED
AddressCotton Court, 30-42 Waring St
Area30-42 Waring St, Belfast
PostcodeBT1 2ED
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
You'll find The Second Fiddle in 30-42 Waring St, Belfast; BT1 2ED is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
Oh Yeah Music Centre, Denvir's Coaching Inn, The American Bar and Sunflower Public House
Planning Your Sunday Night
Get there early to sign up for a slot. The Second Fiddle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
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Common Questions
8 things people ask before turning up at Belfast's The Second Fiddle open mic.
Sign-up via the venue. See all Belfast open mic nights.
The Second Fiddle provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for The Second Fiddle's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Belfast open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
Cotton Court, 30-42 Waring St, Belfast BT1 2ED.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Belfast regulars across the Belfast open mic scene. Belfast open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Belfast open mics.
Venues Near The Second Fiddle
No other gigs are listed at The Second Fiddle 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 Belfast over the next four weeks →
The Second Fiddle open mic in brief. The Second Fiddle open mic runs every 1st Sunday of the month from 19:00 (no fee listed). Coming back with a full band? The Second Fiddle’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. The open mics near Belfast are listed by day, for another night this week.
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.
09 — More Belfast open mics
All ›After paid gigs rather than open mics? See Belfast gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Second Fiddle
All ›More rooms near The Second Fiddle: 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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