The Emperor is a friendly real-ale pub on Hills Road in Cambridge, within easy walking distance of the railway station and the city centre. It pairs cask and keg beers with a modern Latin American tapas menu, plus darts, a pool table, board games and giant Jenga. Music is a regular fixture: live bands play at the weekend, Thursday evenings host an open-mic session from 8.30pm, and alternate-month Wednesdays bring comedy nights. The upstairs function room — available for hire and used for gigs — holds 40-45 seated or 65-70 standing, giving an intimate, well-sized stage room for grassroots acts. Both original music and covers are welcome.
21 Hills Road · Every Thursday · Free
The Emperor Open Mic
21 Hills Road's thursday open mic.
Open mic at a glance The Emperor · Cambridge
Thursday
Open mic night
May 2026
Listed since
29 Jul
Last verified
Free
Entry
—
Sign-up time
Verified
Listing status
Run a Cambridge open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 29 July 2026
The Emperor Open Mic — Quick Facts
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayThursday
Start20:30
Sign-up walk-in
Slot length–
EntryFree · all ages
Capacity–
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Emperor21 Hills Road
Cambridge CB2 1NW
21 Hills Road, 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
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 The Emperor
About This Open Mic
Every Thursday in 21 Hills Road, Cambridge
Kicks off at 20:30
Free entry for performers and audience
Slot length — we’re on it, no info yet
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Cambridge open mic directory
The Night
The Emperor is a friendly real-ale pub on Hills Road in Cambridge that runs an open mic every Thursday evening, kicking off at 8:30pm. It's an easy-going, music-loving local — think fantastic local bands at the weekend, the odd comedy night, and a relaxed welcome for anyone wanting to get up and play on a Thursday. Free to come along.
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 The Emperor’s Thursday night runs.
20:30Kick-off
23:00Venue closes
Every Thursday Free entry
Find The Emperor
21 Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 1NW
Planning Your Thursday Night
Arrive early 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 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 The Emperor open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at . Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Cambridge open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Cambridge mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
21 Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 1NW.
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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