The Three Sisters is a vast, world-famous bar, courtyard and live-entertainment complex in a former brewery on the Cowgate in Edinburgh's Old Town (EH1 1JS), named after the three MacKinnon sisters who performed in the 1740s. It is built for nights out: a huge outdoor courtyard with live music from 7pm-9pm before DJs take over, plus a dedicated cabaret room called 'LIVE' hidden behind the main bar staging live bands, comedy, drag and burlesque, and Sunday-night karaoke. A regular Edinburgh Fringe venue, it provides a PA and welcomes both originals and covers across its multiple spaces.
Edinburgh · Every Wednesday · No fee listed
The Three Sisters Open Mic
Edinburgh open mic at The Three Sisters — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
Next night: Wed 18 Nov. Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 19 Sept 202620:00
Kick-off
Wednesdays
sign-up on the nightWednesdays
| Night | Every Wednesday |
| Sign-up | Ask the host |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
118
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 · Poets · Comedians |
| Website | thethreesistersbar.co.uk |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
Help keep this trueOne tap
Is this night still on?
No sign-up. We review corrections within 7 days.
03 — The night
Every WednesdayHow the night runs
20:00
Kick-off
WednesdaysRunning order
20:00 Kick-off
03:00 Venue closes
04 — Find The Three Sisters
EdinburghGetting there
139 Cowgate,
Edinburgh EH1 1JS
Edinburgh EH1 1JS
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away.
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
EdinburghAbout the night
The Three Sisters is a sprawling, legendary multi-level bar in a former brewery on Cowgate, in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. Its weekly open mic lands every Wednesday with host Michael Dodds — music, singing, poetry, comedy and pretty much anything else welcome. Sign up on the night, first come first served; performers get a free pint and discounted drinks all evening. Lively, social and very Old Town.
The Three Sisters is a vast, world-famous bar, courtyard and live-entertainment complex in a former brewery on the Cowgate in Edinburgh's Old Town (EH1 1JS), named after the three MacKinnon sisters who performed in the 1740s. It is built for nights out: a huge outdoor courtyard with live music from 7pm-9pm before DJs take over, plus a dedicated cabaret room called 'LIVE' hidden behind the main bar staging live bands, comedy, drag and burlesque, and Sunday-night karaoke. A regular Edinburgh Fringe venue, it provides a PA and welcomes both originals and covers across its multiple spaces.
Played here before?One tap
How was the night?
One tap. It tells the next act what to expect.
Run this room?
This night - and this page - is yours.
What you get | 01 | Correct the day, time and sign-up |
| 02 | Edit your profile and photos |
| 03 | Receive artist enquiries |
| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Edinburgh · Every Wednesday
The Three Sisters Open Mic
Edinburgh open mic at The Three Sisters — listed on Google Places. Schedule details below are pending venue confirmation; check the venue's own listings before turning up.
- Wednesday
- Open mic night
- Apr 2026
- Listed since
- 19 Sept
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Edinburgh open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Three Sisters Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Three Sisters Open Mic runs on Wednesdays at The Three Sisters in Edinburgh, starting at 20:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 19 Sept 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
The night starts at 20:00. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Next nightWed 18 Nov · 20:00Starts in 5d 05h 39m
Age18+
Who playsMusicians · Poets · Comedians
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusBeing verified
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
Websitethethreesistersbar.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.
NightWednesdayEvery WednesdayNext: Wed 18 Nov
Starts20:00start time
Sign-upTBCsign-upNot confirmed yet
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Edinburgh this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Three Sisters is a sprawling, legendary multi-level bar in a former brewery on Cowgate, in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. Its weekly open mic lands every Wednesday with host Michael Dodds — music, singing, poetry, comedy and pretty much anything else welcome. Sign up on the night, first come first served; performers get a free pint and discounted drinks all evening. Lively, social and very Old Town.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How The Three Sisters’s Wednesday night runs.
Next nightWed 18 Nov · 20:00Starts in 5d 05h 39m
Kick-off20:00Every Wednesday
Venue closes03:00The listed closing time
How often
Every Wednesday
Coming up
Wed 18 Nov · Wed 25 Nov · Wed 2 Dec
Kit
The Three Sisters provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find The Three Sisters
139 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JS
Address139 Cowgate
AreaEdinburgh
PostcodeEH1 1JS
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Edinburgh (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. You'll find The Three Sisters in Edinburgh; EH1 1JS 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 Wednesday Night
Get there early to sign up for a slot. The Three Sisters provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
The scene Live music in Edinburghthe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Edinburghpay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Edinburghacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Edinburghevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
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 Edinburgh live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people ask before turning up at Edinburgh's The Three Sisters open mic.
Sign-up via the venue. See all Edinburgh open mic nights.
The Three Sisters provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for The Three Sisters'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.
139 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JS.
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 EH1 1JS. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
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 The Three Sisters
No other gigs are listed at The Three Sisters in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
08 — Keep up with Edinburgh
One email a week. Gigs near you.
Keep up with Edinburgh
One email a week with live music near you. Free, and it keeps grassroots rooms full.
Help keep grassroots venues open in Edinburgh
—A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Edinburgh. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
See what’s on in Edinburgh over the next four weeks →
The Three Sisters open mic in brief. The Three Sisters open mic runs every Wednesday from 20:00 (no fee listed). The Three Sisters’ venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For a different 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.
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 Edinburgh open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Edinburgh gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Three Sisters
All ›More rooms near The Three Sisters: Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Footlights Bar and Grill, Home Bar, Kitty O'Shea's Edinburgh, Malones Edinburgh, Monkey Barrel Comedy, Pilgrim Bar, Puffin' Rooms, Red Rocks and Rose & Crown.
Run The Three Sisters?
Free to join. No subscription. 5% only if you want the deposit protected.
Run an open mic in Edinburgh?
Add yours to the directory free. 2-minute submission, reviewed before it goes live.