Captain's Bar is a tiny, 200-year-old pub on South College Street in Edinburgh's Old Town, a short walk from the National Museum of Scotland and the Festival Theatre. It is one of the city's most authentic folk-music rooms: local folk musicians gather here for tunes and songs almost every night, with gentle, largely unamplified sessions. The space seats only about 28, and the whole pub falls silent for a great singer or comes alive with blazing fiddles. Contemporary and traditional material is encouraged and visiting musicians are warmly welcomed — early-evening sessions take an open format where anyone can step in with a song.
Edinburgh · Every Friday · No fee listed
Captain's Bar Open Mic
Edinburgh's Friday-night free folk open mic at 4 South College Street, EH8 9AA — tiny Old Town pub, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots, late licence.
Next night: Fri 13 Nov. Kick-off 21:00, sign-up from 20:30. 12-minute slots. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 2 Nov 202621:00
Kick-off
Fridays
sign-up from 20:30Fridays
| Night | Every Friday |
| Sign-up | 20:30 walk-in |
| Slot | 12 min |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
209
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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. 40 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Website | captainsbaredinburgh.co.uk |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
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03 — The night
Every FridayHow the night runs
21:00
Kick-off
FridaysRunning order
20:30 Sign-up· Walk-in
21:00 Kick-off· 12-minute slots
00:30 Last songs
01:00 Venue closes
04 — Find Captain's Bar
Old TownGetting there
4 South College Street,
Old Town, Edinburgh EH8 9AA
Old Town, Edinburgh EH8 9AA
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
3 provided| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Bring your own |
| Guitar amp | Provided |
| Bass amp | Bring your own |
| Keys / keyboard | Bring your own |
| 2 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | None |
06 — About
Old Town, EdinburghAbout the night
Captain's Bar is a tiny Old Town folk pub — wood-panelled, no TV, music seven nights a week. Friday is the open-mic slot and leans heavily folk and traditional, though songwriters are welcome.
c. 3.5 hours, c. 17 acts at 12 minutes.
Sign-up process
Sheet at the bar at 8:30pm. Walk-in.
Getting there
4 South College Street, EH8 9AA. 6 minutes from Waverley.
The venue
One small room. 18+. Capacity c. 40 — fills early on Fridays. Late licence.
Captain's Bar is a tiny, 200-year-old pub on South College Street in Edinburgh's Old Town, a short walk from the National Museum of Scotland and the Festival Theatre. It is one of the city's most authentic folk-music rooms: local folk musicians gather here for tunes and songs almost every night, with gentle, largely unamplified sessions. The space seats only about 28, and the whole pub falls silent for a great singer or comes alive with blazing fiddles. Contemporary and traditional material is encouraged and visiting musicians are warmly welcomed — early-evening sessions take an open format where anyone can step in with a song.
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Old Town · Every Friday
Captain's Bar Open Mic
Edinburgh's Friday-night free folk open mic at 4 South College Street, EH8 9AA — tiny Old Town pub, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots, late licence.
- Friday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 2 Nov
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- 12 min
- Slot length
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Edinburgh open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Captain's Bar Open Mic — Quick Facts
Captain's Bar Open Mic runs on Fridays at Captain's Bar in Edinburgh, starting at 21:00 with sign-up from 20:30. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 2 Nov 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
Music starts around 21:00, finishing about 00:30. It's walk-in sign-up, with the list opening at 20:30 - arrive early to get a slot. Each act gets about 12 minutes, so the night holds around 17 acts. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
Next nightFri 13 Nov · 21:00Starts in 13h 09m 12s
Age18+
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
Capacityc. 40 standing
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerNone in-house
Directory statusBeing verified
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitecaptainsbaredinburgh.co.uk
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.
NightFridayEvery FridayNext: Fri 13 Nov
Starts21:00until 00:30
Sign-up20:30Walk-in
Slots12minutes eachRoom for about 17 acts
What’s on in Edinburgh this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
Captain's Bar is a tiny Old Town folk pub — wood-panelled, no TV, music seven nights a week. Friday is the open-mic slot and leans heavily folk and traditional, though songwriters are welcome.
c. 3.5 hours, c. 17 acts at 12 minutes.
Sign-up process
Sheet at the bar at 8:30pm. Walk-in.
Getting there
4 South College Street, EH8 9AA. 6 minutes from Waverley.
The venue
One small room. 18+. Capacity c. 40 — fills early on Fridays. Late licence.
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 / keyboardBring your own
2 vocal micsProvided
In-house engineerNone
The Night at a Glance
How Captain's Bar’s Friday night runs.
Next nightFri 13 Nov · 21:00Starts in 13h 09m 12s
Sign-up opens20:30Walk-in on the night
Kick-off21:00Every Friday
Music ends00:30Last act finishes
Venue closes01:00The listed closing time
Slots12minutes eachroom for about 17 acts
How often
Every Friday
Coming up
Fri 13 Nov · Fri 20 Nov · Fri 27 Nov
Kit
Captain's Bar provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and a guitar amp; bring your own drum kit, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
First time here?
Arrive for 20:30 to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on, and plan a set that fits 12 minutes.
Find Captain's Bar
4 South College Street, Old Town, Edinburgh EH8 9AA
Address4 South College Street
AreaOld Town, Edinburgh
PostcodeEH8 9AA
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. You'll find Captain's Bar in Old Town, Edinburgh; EH8 9AA is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
Bannerman's Bar, The Bothy, Biddy Mulligans and The Auld Hundred
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Friday Night
Be there by 20:30 to put your name down. The open mic runs until about 00:30. Captain's Bar provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and a guitar amp; bring your own drum kit, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
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Common Questions
9 questions people ask before going to Edinburgh's Captain's Bar open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 20:30. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Edinburgh open mic nights for alternatives.
Captain's Bar provides a PA system, 2 vocal mics and a guitar amp; bring your own drum kit, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
12 minutes per act — typically 3 songs solo.
No entry fee is listed for Captain's Bar's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Edinburgh open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
4 South College Street, Old Town, Edinburgh EH8 9AA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Edinburgh regulars across the Edinburgh open mic scene. Edinburgh open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is EH8 9AA. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, from 20:30, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails - the venue's own website is linked on this page. Browse other Edinburgh open mics.
Venues Near Captain's Bar
No other gigs are listed at Captain's Bar in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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Captain's Bar open mic in brief. The Captain's Bar open mic runs every Friday from 21:00 (no fee listed); sign-up opens 20:30 and slots run about 12 minutes. Captain's Bar’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 Edinburgh are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Edinburgh? 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.
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09 — More Edinburgh open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Edinburgh gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near Captain's Bar
All ›More rooms near Captain's Bar: Liquid Room Edinburgh, O'Neills Edinburgh, People's Leisure Club, Edinburgh, Royal Mile Tavern, Sandy Bell's, Stramash, Subway Cowgate, The Banshee Labyrinth, The Caves, The Hive, Edinburgh and The Jazz Bar.
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