The Anvil is Bournemouth's premier rock bar and grassroots live-music venue, in the Lansdowne area on Holdenhurst Road near the station and the university halls. Decked out in rock-and-roll style, it pairs an extensive rock jukebox and rock DJ nights with regular live gigs spanning heavy metal, punk, alternative and classic rock, and stays open late (typically 5pm until the early hours). Alongside the music there is a pool table, a chill-out area and a big range of beers, ciders and over 100 spirits. With a small-room capacity it is an intimate, high-energy stage that is a fixture of the south-coast rock scene and a reliable home for original and covers bands alike.
Bournemouth · Every Tuesday · No fee listed
The Anvil Open Mic
Bournemouth's Tuesday-night free open mic at 78 Holdenhurst Road, BH8 8AE — independent music pub, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.
Next night: Tue 17 Nov. Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 26 Aug 202620:00
Kick-off
Tuesdays
sign-up on the nightTuesdays
| Night | Every Tuesday |
| Sign-up | Ask the host |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | Full backline |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
292
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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
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| Capacity | c. 150 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Website | theanvilbournemouth.co.uk |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
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03 — The night
Every TuesdayHow the night runs
20:00
Kick-off
TuesdaysRunning order
20:00 Kick-off
23:00 Last songs
04:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Anvil
15 Holdenhurst RoadGetting there
78 Holdenhurst Road,
Bournemouth BH8 8AE
Bournemouth BH8 8AE
The nearest station is Bournemouth (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
6 provided| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Provided |
| Guitar amp | Provided |
| Bass amp | Provided |
| Keys / keyboard | Bring your own |
| 3 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | Provided |
06 — About
15 Holdenhurst Road, BournemouthAbout the night
The Anvil is Bournemouth's primary indie music pub. Tuesday open mic uses the back stage with full backline.
180 minutes, 15 acts at 12 minutes.
Sign-up process
Sheet at the bar at 7:30pm. Walk-in.
Getting there
78 Holdenhurst Road, BH8 8AE. 8 minutes from Bournemouth Rail.
The venue
Pub with back stage. 18+. Capacity c. 150.
The Anvil is Bournemouth's premier rock bar and grassroots live-music venue, in the Lansdowne area on Holdenhurst Road near the station and the university halls. Decked out in rock-and-roll style, it pairs an extensive rock jukebox and rock DJ nights with regular live gigs spanning heavy metal, punk, alternative and classic rock, and stays open late (typically 5pm until the early hours). Alongside the music there is a pool table, a chill-out area and a big range of beers, ciders and over 100 spirits. With a small-room capacity it is an intimate, high-energy stage that is a fixture of the south-coast rock scene and a reliable home for original and covers bands alike.
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15 Holdenhurst Road · Every Tuesday
The Anvil Open Mic
Bournemouth's Tuesday-night free open mic at 78 Holdenhurst Road, BH8 8AE — independent music pub, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.
- Tuesday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 26 Aug
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Bournemouth open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Anvil Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Anvil Open Mic runs on Tuesdays at The Anvil in Bournemouth, starting at 20:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 26 Aug 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
The night starts at 20:00 and runs to about 23:00. With full backline listed, you need little more than your instrument and pedals.
Next nightTue 17 Nov · 20:00Starts in 4d 12h 23m
Age18+
Capacityc. 150 standing
BacklineFull backline
Sound engineerIn-house, included
Directory statusBeing verified
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitetheanvilbournemouth.co.uk
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.
NightTuesdayEvery TuesdayNext: Tue 17 Nov
Starts20:00until 23:00
Sign-upTBCsign-upNot confirmed yet
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Bournemouth this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Anvil is Bournemouth's primary indie music pub. Tuesday open mic uses the back stage with full backline.
180 minutes, 15 acts at 12 minutes.
Sign-up process
Sheet at the bar at 7:30pm. Walk-in.
Getting there
78 Holdenhurst Road, BH8 8AE. 8 minutes from Bournemouth Rail.
The venue
Pub with back stage. 18+. Capacity c. 150.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitProvided
Guitar ampProvided
Bass ampProvided
Keys / keyboardBring your own
3 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerProvided
The Night at a Glance
How The Anvil’s Tuesday night runs.
Next nightTue 17 Nov · 20:00Starts in 4d 12h 23m
Kick-off20:00Every Tuesday
Music ends23:00Last act finishes
Venue closes04:00The listed closing time
How often
Every Tuesday
Coming up
Tue 17 Nov · Tue 24 Nov · Tue 1 Dec
Kit
The Anvil provides a PA system, 3 vocal mics, a drum kit, a guitar amp, a bass amp and an in-house sound engineer; bring your own keys.
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find The Anvil
78 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth BH8 8AE
Address78 Holdenhurst Road
Area15 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth
PostcodeBH8 8AE
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Bournemouth (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away. The Anvil is in 15 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth — use BH8 8AE for sat-nav, taxis and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Open mics nearby
Buffalo, The Thomas Tripp, Brass Haus and The Portsmouth Hoy
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Arrive early to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 23:00. Full backline is provided — just bring your instrument and pedals.
The scene Live music in Bournemouththe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Bournemouthpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Bournemouthacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Bournemouthevery 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. In the wider Bournemouth live music scene.
Common Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Bournemouth's The Anvil open mic.
Sign-up via the venue. See all Bournemouth open mic nights.
Full backline: drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, PA and vocal mics, plus an in-house sound engineer. Bring your own instrument and pedals.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for The Anvil's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Bournemouth open mics.
Yes — full bands welcome and the backline is set up for it.
78 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth BH8 8AE.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Bournemouth regulars across the Bournemouth open mic scene. Bournemouth open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Bournemouth (rail station), about 15 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is BH8 8AE. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Bournemouth open mics.
Venues Near The Anvil
No other gigs are listed at The Anvil 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 Bournemouth over the next four weeks →
The Anvil open mic in brief. The Anvil open mic runs every Tuesday from 20:00 (no fee listed). Coming back with a full band? The Anvil’s venue page has its kit and capacity listed. The open mics near Bournemouth are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Bournemouth? 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 Bournemouth open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Bournemouth gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Anvil
All ›More rooms near The Anvil: Buffalo, Canvas, Chaplin's & The Cellar Bar, Cricketers Arms, Hamworthy Football Club, Lark Rise, Lighthouse, Poole's Centre for the Arts, Meyrick Park, O'Neill's Bournemouth, Old Fire Station Bournemouth and Royal British Legion Swanage.
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