The Portland Arms on Chesterton Road in Cambridge (CB4 3BA) is one of the city's premier grassroots live music pubs, and for decades it has been an essential part of the Cambridge scene, welcoming local, national and international acts of every genre. In 2012 the original 100-capacity room was enlarged into a modern, high-tech 200-capacity dedicated gig room, and the venue now hosts gigs up to six nights a week. With a full backline and an in-house sound engineer it is a properly equipped step up from a back-room pub stage, comfortable for both originals and covers, touring bands and first-timers alike. Open midday to late (later on Fridays and Saturdays), it pairs a busy gig calendar with a genuine pub atmosphere.
Chesterton · Every Tuesday · Free
The Portland Arms Open Mic
Cambridge's Tuesday-night free open mic at 129 Chesterton Road, CB4 3BA — long-running music pub, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.
Open mic at a glance The Portland Arms · Cambridge
Tuesday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
03 Jun
Last verified
Free
Entry
12 min
Slot length
Community
Listing status
Run a Cambridge open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 3 June 2026
The Portland Arms Open Mic — Quick Facts
Cambridge's Tuesday-night free open mic at 129 Chesterton Road, CB4 3BA — long-running music pub, full backline, in-house engineer, 12-minute slots.
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The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayTuesday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:30 walk-in
Slot length12 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacityc. 150 standing
Performer typesMusic
Sound engineerIn-house, included
View on map
Where
The Portland Arms129 Chesterton Road
Chesterton
Cambridge CB4 3BA
Chesterton, Cambridge — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
Full backline on stage
In-house sound engineer
Walk-in sign-up
Music welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
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About The Portland Arms
About This Open Mic
Every Tuesday in Chesterton, 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
The Portland Arms is Cambridge's primary independent music venue. Tuesday open mic uses the back gig room with full backline.
180 minutes, 15 acts at 12 minutes.
Sign-up process
Sheet at the bar at 7:30pm. Walk-in.
Getting there
129 Chesterton Road, CB4 3BA. 15 minutes' walk from Cambridge Rail. Buses 1, 3, 7 stop on Chesterton Road.
The venue
Pub with dedicated back gig room. 18+. Capacity c. 150.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Portland Arms’s Tuesday night runs.
19:30Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
23:00Last songs
Every Tuesday 12-min slots Free entry
Find The Portland Arms
129 Chesterton Road, Chesterton, Cambridge CB4 3BA
Planning Your Tuesday Night
Arrive by 19:30 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 23:00. 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 The Portland Arms 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, plus an in-house sound engineer. 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.
129 Chesterton Road, Chesterton, Cambridge CB4 3BA.
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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