Smokey Joe's is a vintage and retro licensed diner, bar and arts venue at 16 Bennington Street in Cheltenham, packed with original Americana and serving brunch through to dinner with burgers and dishes made fresh onsite. It doubles as a busy small-room arts venue (around 50 capacity) with a genuinely broad live-music programme — jazz club nights, swing and jive dance nights, plus comedy, retro gaming, poetry and storytelling. A characterful, intimate stage well suited to jazz, swing, rock'n'roll and acoustic acts, with a house PA. Events line: 01242 232102.
Cheltenham · Every 1st Wednesday of the month · No fee listed
Smokey Joe's Open Mic
Bennington Street's wednesday open mic.
Next night: Wed 2 Dec. Kick-off 19:00, sign-up from 19:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 14 Oct 202619:00
Kick-off
Wednesdays
sign-up from 19:00Wednesdays
| Night | Every 1st Wednesday of the month |
| Sign-up | 19:00 walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
223
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 | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
The check
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 14 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Web listing |
03 — The night
Every 1st Wednesday of the monthHow the night runs
19:00
Kick-off
WednesdaysRunning order
19:00 Kick-off
23:30 Close (tbc)
Times marked tbc aren't confirmed yet - we're working to find out.
04 — Find Smokey Joe's
Bennington StreetGetting there
Bennington Street, Cheltenham GL50 4ED
The nearest station is Cheltenham Spa (rail station), about 1 mile away - a taxi or bus is the easier last leg.
05 — What's on stage
1 provided · 6 TBC| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
Bennington Street, CheltenhamAbout the night
Smokey Joe's is a wonderfully quirky cafe-bar-music-club on Bennington Street, full of 40s/50s rooms and an 80s games room, and it hosts a monthly open mic that draws both seasoned players and first-timers. Sign-up opens from 7pm and a PA, mics and stands are all supplied, so you just bring yourself and your instrument. It's a friendly, characterful room — free to come along — sitting within a wider line-up of jazz, swing nights, poetry and vintage events. 16 Bennington Street, Cheltenham, GL50 4ED.
Smokey Joe's is a vintage and retro licensed diner, bar and arts venue at 16 Bennington Street in Cheltenham, packed with original Americana and serving brunch through to dinner with burgers and dishes made fresh onsite. It doubles as a busy small-room arts venue (around 50 capacity) with a genuinely broad live-music programme — jazz club nights, swing and jive dance nights, plus comedy, retro gaming, poetry and storytelling. A characterful, intimate stage well suited to jazz, swing, rock'n'roll and acoustic acts, with a house PA. Events line: 01242 232102.
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Bennington Street · Every 1st Wednesday of the month
Smokey Joe's Open Mic
Bennington Street's wednesday open mic. Starts at 19:00.
- Wednesday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 14 Oct
- Last verified
- No fee
- Entry
- 19:00
- Sign-up time
- Verified
- Listing status
Run a Cheltenham open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Smokey Joe's Open Mic — Quick Facts
Smokey Joe's Open Mic runs on the 1st Wednesday of the month at Smokey Joe's in Cheltenham, starting at 19:00 with sign-up from 19:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last verified 14 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Verified active
Checked against the venue’s own listing See Smokey Joe's’s venue page →
The night starts at 19:00. Sign-up is on the night from 19:00 - get there early to get a slot. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Next nightWed 2 Dec · 19:00Starts in 19d 11h 21m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
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.
NightWednesdayEvery 1st Wednesday of the monthNext: Wed 2 Dec
Starts19:00start time
Sign-up19:00Walk-in
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Cheltenham this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
Smokey Joe's is a wonderfully quirky cafe-bar-music-club on Bennington Street, full of 40s/50s rooms and an 80s games room, and it hosts a monthly open mic that draws both seasoned players and first-timers. Sign-up opens from 7pm and a PA, mics and stands are all supplied, so you just bring yourself and your instrument. It's a friendly, characterful room — free to come along — sitting within a wider line-up of jazz, swing nights, poetry and vintage events. 16 Bennington Street, Cheltenham, GL50 4ED.
Equipment and backline at this venue — what's on stage, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How Smokey Joe's’s Wednesday night runs.
Next nightWed 2 Dec · 19:00Starts in 19d 11h 21m
Sign-up opens19:00Walk-in on the night
Kick-off19:00Every 1st Wednesday of the month
Music endsTBCNot confirmed yet
Venue closesTBCNot confirmed yet
How often
Every 1st Wednesday of the month
Coming up
Wed 2 Dec · Wed 6 Jan · Wed 3 Feb
Kit
Smokey Joe's provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Get there by 19:00 for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn.
Find Smokey Joe's
Bennington Street, Cheltenham GL50 4ED
AreaBennington Street, Cheltenham
PostcodeGL50 4ED
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Cheltenham Spa (rail station), about 1 mile away - a taxi or bus is the easier last leg. You'll find Smokey Joe's in Bennington Street, Cheltenham; GL50 4ED is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
The Cotswold Inn, The Oil Basin Brewhouse, The Pheasant and The Firefly Beer Haus
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Get there by 19:00 to sign up for a slot. Smokey Joe's provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
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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. A night in the Cheltenham live music scene.
Common Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Cheltenham's Smokey Joe's open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:00. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Cheltenham open mic nights for alternatives.
Smokey Joe's provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for Smokey Joe's's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Cheltenham open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
Smokey Joe's is in Bennington Street, Cheltenham GL50 4ED. Get directions, or see the other Cheltenham open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Cheltenham regulars across the Cheltenham open mic scene. Cheltenham open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Cheltenham Spa (rail station), about 1 mile away - a taxi or bus is the easier last leg. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is GL50 4ED. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 19:00, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Cheltenham open mics.
Venues Near Smokey Joe's
No other gigs are listed at Smokey Joe's in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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Smokey Joe's open mic in brief. The Smokey Joe's open mic runs every 1st Wednesday of the month from 19:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 19:00. Coming back with a full band? Smokey Joe's’ venue page has its kit and capacity listed. The open mics near Cheltenham are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Cheltenham? 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 Cheltenham open mics
All ›Looking for paid gigs, not open mics? See Cheltenham gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near Smokey Joe's
All ›More rooms near Smokey Joe's: Chestnut Inn, Old Greyhound, Parabola Arts Centre, Parler, The Bath Tavern, The Bayshill, The Bierkeller Showbar, The Chestnut Tree Inn, The Cotswold Inn, The Feathers Sport & Music Lounge and The Firefly Beer Haus.
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