Bar -OH is a table-service cocktail bar in the centre of Cambridge, on Downing Place beside the Hilton (CB2 3DT). It's known for inventive drinks served in unusual glassware and for the wall of retro games consoles and board games that are free to play while you drink. On the music side it runs live sets on Friday and Saturday nights — usually its in-house band, sometimes guest performers — across a relaxed, intimate room. It opens daily from 4pm, takes both originals and covers, and runs a house PA. A small but genuine live-music slot rather than a dedicated gig venue.
Cambridge · Every Thursday · Free
Bar -OH Open Mic
Cambridge open mic at Bar -OH — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance Bar -OH · Cambridge
Thursday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
05 Aug
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Cambridge open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 5 August 2026
Bar -OH Open Mic — Quick Facts
Cambridge open mic at Bar -OH — 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
DayThursday
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
Bar -OH20 Downing Pl
Cambridge CB2 3DT
Cambridge — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Contact
Walk-in sign-up only
No advance booking
Host: in-house team
Highlights
Free entry for all
Full backline on stage
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 Bar -OH
About This Open Mic
Every Thursday in Cambridge
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:30
Free entry for performers and audience
12-minute slots
Full backline on stage
Part of the Cambridge open mic directory
The Night
Bar -OH is a chic, table-service cocktail bar in the centre of Cambridge (with free retro consoles and board games), and its '-OHpen Mic' runs every Thursday. There is no formal sign-up: just arrive before 8:30pm and tell the bar what you would like to perform. The venue supplies a full drum kit and sound system, so there is no need to bring your own amp or mic, and every performer gets one free cocktail (or a beer or glass of wine) plus unlimited soft drinks. It is a comfortable, well-equipped room - a relaxed place to try new material midweek.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How Bar -OH’s Thursday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
01:00Venue closes
Every Thursday 12-min slots Free entry
Find Bar -OH
20 Downing Pl, Cambridge CB2 3DT
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. Full backline is provided — just bring your instrument and pedals.
Part of the Cambridge 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 Cambridge's Bar -OH open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Cambridge open mic nights for alternatives.
Full backline: drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp, vocal mics. Bring your own instrument and pedals.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Cambridge mics are free; browse the list.
Yes — full bands welcome and the backline is set up for it.
20 Downing Pl, Cambridge CB2 3DT.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Cambridge regulars across the Cambridge open mic scene. Cambridge open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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