Monkey Barrel Comedy at 9-12 Blair Street in Edinburgh's Old Town is a stand-up comedy club, not a live-music venue. It runs seven nights a week with stand-up, tours, sketch and improv, and has been Chortle's 'Scotland's Best Comedy Venue' since 2020. The Barrel Bar serves pizza and drinks before shows. As a comedy-only programme, it does not host live music, open mic music nights or band bookings.
Edinburgh · Every Monday · Free
Monkey Barrel Comedy Open Mic
Edinburgh open mic at Monkey Barrel Comedy — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Open mic at a glance Monkey Barrel Comedy · Edinburgh
Monday
Open mic night
Apr 2026
Listed since
20 Aug
Last verified
Free
Entry
5 min
Slot length
Verified
Listing status
Run a Edinburgh open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 20 August 2026
Monkey Barrel Comedy Open Mic — Quick Facts
Edinburgh open mic at Monkey Barrel Comedy — listed on Google Places. Schedule below pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayMonday
Start20:00
Sign-up19:00 walk-in
Slot length5 min
EntryFree · 18+
Capacity–
Performer typesComedy
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
Monkey Barrel Comedy9-12 Blair St
Edinburgh EH1 1QR
Edinburgh — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
PA system provided
Walk-in sign-up
Comedy 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 Monkey Barrel Comedy
About This Open Mic
Every Monday in Edinburgh
Kicks off at 20:00, sign-up from 19:00
Free entry for performers and audience
5-minute slots
PA provided — BYO instrument
Part of the Edinburgh open mic directory
The Night
Free For All is Monkey Barrel's famous comedy open mic — a fast, no-nonsense night where every comic can grab five minutes on stage just by showing up, at the club's home at 9-12 Blair Street in Edinburgh's Old Town. Doors open 7pm, show at 8pm with an approx 11pm finish.
Getting a spot Register in person between 7pm and 8pm. If your name is called and you're in the room, you've got 5 minutes — no questions asked; if you're not in the room, you miss out. There are no breaks, just back-to-back stand-up all night, and every show is steered by two experienced hosts, so you'll see a mix of brand-new, developing and established acts.
Worth knowing Completely free and unticketed for audience and acts alike, with table service throughout and the bar open through the night. The age guideline is 16+ — under-18s must be out of the venue by 11pm (under-16s by 10pm) due to licensing. In August the club switches to Edinburgh Fringe programming, so Free For All shifts around — the Fringe 2026 edition ran as a late-night slot — before the regular Monday-evening pattern resumes.
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 Monkey Barrel Comedy’s Monday night runs.
19:00Sign-up
20:00Kick-off
23:00Last songs
00:00Venue closes
Every Monday 5-min slots Free entry
Find Monkey Barrel Comedy
9-12 Blair St, Edinburgh EH1 1QR
Planning Your Monday Night
Arrive by 19:00 to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until 23:00. A PA is provided — bring your own instrument and amp.
Part of the Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh's Monkey Barrel Comedy open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at 19:00. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Edinburgh open mic nights for alternatives.
PA + vocal mic provided. BYO instrument and amp.
5 minutes per act — typically 1 songs solo.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Edinburgh mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
9-12 Blair St, Edinburgh EH1 1QR.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Edinburgh regulars across the Edinburgh open mic scene. Edinburgh open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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