The Cat & Wheel is a traditional, dog-friendly pub on Cheltenham Road in the Cotham area of Bristol. It hosts a wide array of live bands every Friday night from 9pm with free admission, and rounds out the week with karaoke, pool, big-screen sport and what it claims is the longest-running pub quiz in Bristol on Thursdays. Out back there's a secluded, covered and heated beer garden, and the bar pours real ale with free WiFi throughout. A solid grassroots spot for free weekly live music in BS6.
Bristol · Every Monday · Free
Cat & Wheel Open Mic
Bristol open mic at Cat & Wheel — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance Cat & Wheel · Bristol
Monday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
08 Aug
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Bristol open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 8 August 2026
Cat & Wheel Open Mic — Quick Facts
Bristol open mic at Cat & Wheel — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayMonday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
Cat & Wheel207 Cheltenham Rd
Bristol BS6 5QX
Bristol — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Music welcome
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 and we'll re-verify within 48 hours.
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About Cat & Wheel
About This Open Mic
Every Monday in Bristol
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Bristol open mic directory
The Night
The Cat & Wheel is a proper Cheltenham Road local in Cotham — real ale, a pool table, dog-friendly and a busy live-music week — with a free open mic every Monday night. It's a warm, no-frills room: turn up, get on the list and play, with a house PA on the small stage. Mondays and Tuesdays also bring free pool, and the pub rounds out the week with the Tuesday quiz, a Wednesday student night, karaoke on Thursday and live bands every Friday.
Getting there
207 Cheltenham Rd, Bristol BS6 5QX.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How Cat & Wheel’s Monday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
00:00Venue closes
Every Monday 12-min slots Free entry
Find Cat & Wheel
207 Cheltenham Rd, Bristol BS6 5QX
Planning Your Monday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Bristol live music scene.
What should you charge for paid gigs?Most open mic musicians are ready for paid work sooner than they think. Check live UK rates by role, city, and venue size.
Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Bristol's Cat & Wheel open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Bristol open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Bristol mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
207 Cheltenham Rd, Bristol BS6 5QX.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Bristol regulars across the Bristol open mic scene. Bristol open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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