The Horse & Groom is a town-centre pub and hotel on Cowbridge's High Street that hosts a monthly Sparkplug open mic on the first Sunday evening of the month. It's a proper performance night rather than karaoke — songwriters, guitarists, pianists, rappers and spoken-word artists each get a 15-minute slot on a large stage platform fitted with professional sound and a stock of house instruments including keyboards, percussion, guitars, baritone and cajon. The atmosphere is warm, friendly and supportive, with the chance of further gigs for acts that impress.
Cowbridge · Every 1st Sunday of the month · No fee listed
The Horse & Groom Open Mic
Cowbridge's open mic on the first Sunday of each month at The Horse & Groom, 19 High Street, CF71 7AD.
Next night: Sun 6 Dec. Kick-off 15:00, sign-up from 14:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 4 Oct 202615:00
Kick-off
Sundays
sign-up from 14:30Sundays
| Night | Every 1st Sunday of the month |
| Sign-up | 14:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
187
page views on GigXchange. Is it your night?
0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | c. 60 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Music directory |
03 — The night
Every 1st Sunday of the monthHow the night runs
15:00
Kick-off
SundaysRunning order
14:30 Sign-up· Walk-in
15:00 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
18:00 Last songs
23:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Horse & Groom
Town CentreGetting there
19 High Street,
Town Centre, Cowbridge CF71 7AD
Town Centre, Cowbridge CF71 7AD
The nearest station is Llantwit Major (rail station), about 4 miles away - a taxi or bus is the easier last leg.
05 — What's on stage
4 provided| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Bring your own |
| Guitar amp | Provided |
| Bass amp | Bring your own |
| Keys / keyboard | Provided |
| 2 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | None |
06 — About
Town Centre, CowbridgeAbout the night
The Horse & Groom on Cowbridge's High Street hosts an open mic on the first Sunday of each month — an afternoon session in this Vale of Glamorgan market town.
Sign-up process
Sign-up at the bar. Walk-in.
Getting there
19 High Street, CF71 7AD. Cowbridge has no rail station — buses from Cardiff (30 minutes) and Bridgend (20 minutes).
The venue
Traditional pub. All ages. Capacity c. 60. Full bar.
The Horse & Groom is a town-centre pub and hotel on Cowbridge's High Street that hosts a monthly Sparkplug open mic on the first Sunday evening of the month. It's a proper performance night rather than karaoke — songwriters, guitarists, pianists, rappers and spoken-word artists each get a 15-minute slot on a large stage platform fitted with professional sound and a stock of house instruments including keyboards, percussion, guitars, baritone and cajon. The atmosphere is warm, friendly and supportive, with the chance of further gigs for acts that impress.
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Town Centre · Every 1st Sunday of the month
The Horse & Groom Open Mic
Cowbridge's open mic on the first Sunday of each month at The Horse & Groom, 19 High Street, CF71 7AD.
- Sunday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 4 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Cowbridge open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Horse & Groom Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Horse & Groom Open Mic runs on the 1st Sunday of the month at The Horse & Groom in Cowbridge, starting at 15:00 with sign-up from 14:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 4 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See The Horse & Groom’s venue page →
Music starts around 15:00, finishing about 18:00. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 14:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Slots run about 12 minutes - room for roughly 15 acts. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
Next nightSun 6 Dec · 15:00Starts in 23d 07h 19m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Capacityc. 60 standing
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerNone in-house
Directory statusVerified active
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
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.
NightSundayEvery 1st Sunday of the monthNext: Sun 6 Dec
Starts15:00until 18:00
Sign-up14:30Walk-in
Slots12minutes eachRoom for about 15 acts
What’s on in Cowbridge this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Horse & Groom on Cowbridge's High Street hosts an open mic on the first Sunday of each month — an afternoon session in this Vale of Glamorgan market town.
Sign-up process
Sign-up at the bar. Walk-in.
Getting there
19 High Street, CF71 7AD. Cowbridge has no rail station — buses from Cardiff (30 minutes) and Bridgend (20 minutes).
The venue
Traditional pub. All ages. Capacity c. 60. Full bar.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitBring your own
Guitar ampProvided
Bass ampBring your own
Keys / keyboardProvided
2 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerNone
The Night at a Glance
How The Horse & Groom’s Sunday night runs.
Next nightSun 6 Dec · 15:00Starts in 23d 07h 19m
Sign-up opens14:30Walk-in on the night
Kick-off15:00Every 1st Sunday of the month
Music ends18:00Last act finishes
Venue closes23:00The listed closing time
Slots12minutes eachroom for about 15 acts
How often
Every 1st Sunday of the month
Coming up
Sun 6 Dec · Sun 3 Jan · Sun 7 Feb
Kit
The Horse & Groom provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics, a guitar amp and keys; bring your own drum kit and bass amp; no in-house sound engineer.
First time here?
Arrive for 14:30 to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on, and plan a set that fits 12 minutes.
Find The Horse & Groom
19 High Street, Town Centre, Cowbridge CF71 7AD
Address19 High Street
AreaTown Centre, Cowbridge
PostcodeCF71 7AD
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Llantwit Major (rail station), about 4 miles away - a taxi or bus is the easier last leg. The Horse & Groom is in Town Centre, Cowbridge — use CF71 7AD 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
Foundry Social, The Horse & Groom, Legends Club and The Railway
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Sunday Night
Get there by 14:30 to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 18:00. The Horse & Groom provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics, a guitar amp and keys; bring your own drum kit and bass amp; no in-house sound engineer.
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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. Part of the Cowbridge live music scene.
Common Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Cowbridge's The Horse & Groom open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 14:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Cowbridge open mic nights for alternatives.
The Horse & Groom provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics, a guitar amp and keys; bring your own drum kit and bass amp; no in-house sound engineer.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for The Horse & Groom's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Cowbridge open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
19 High Street, Town Centre, Cowbridge CF71 7AD.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Cowbridge regulars across the Cowbridge open mic scene. Cowbridge open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Llantwit Major (rail station), about 4 miles away - a taxi or bus is the easier last leg. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is CF71 7AD. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 14:30, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Cowbridge open mics.
Venues Near The Horse & Groom
No other gigs are listed at The Horse & Groom 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 Cowbridge over the next four weeks →
The Horse & Groom open mic in brief. The Horse & Groom open mic runs every 1st Sunday of the month from 15:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 14:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. The Horse & Groom’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For another night this week, the open mics near Cowbridge are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Cowbridge? 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 Cowbridge open mics
All ›Looking for paid gigs, not open mics? See Cowbridge gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Horse & Groom
All ›More rooms near The Horse & Groom: Brewhouse, Cambrian Tap, Cardiff Students' Union, Clwb Crown, Clwb Ifor Bach, Depot, District Cardiff, Ffos Caerffili, Flute & Tankard, Foundry Social and Fuel Rock Club.
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